Chapter Black
by KairiGokuJr
Summary: A tunnel is opening, bridging the gap between the Human and Demon World. Can Kairi and her team close it and discover who would want to insight such Armageddon? YYH/DBZ/Slight Bleach. OCxHiei. Rated for future chapters. Sequel to Dark Tournament
1. Karakura Town High

_[A/N: Chapter Black is here! Shazzam! Also, I've always had the intention of crossing this with "Bleach" in the future so if you're into Bleach look out for that, and if you're not, it's going to be a completely different series so you can disregard all of the foreshadowing if it suits you.]_

The Dark Tournament had sucked. It was, barring only Majin Buu, the most emotionally traumatic experience of my entire life. I was glad it was over, and on some level, I had even been happy to return home and start school again.

I hated school, but being with my friends in an environment where demons weren't rooting for our untimely death was a relief. And if some idiots at our school wanted to get on our case, all we had to do was hit them in the face and that would be the end of it.

My first day back at Sariyaski had been more eventful than I had intentionally planned on it being. Rei, who I can only classify as my arch nemesis, welcomed me back to school in her usual fashion of taunting and harassing me. I ignored her as usual, especially considering how tired I was being that the tournament had only ended a few days prior.

Yusuke and Kuwabara warned her that I didn't need to be harassed that day and I warned her too, because that was the responsible thing to do. But Rei was, as always, relentless and, somehow, even more annoying than usual.

To make a long story short, she shoved me. I didn't have a choice but to give her one good sock in the stomach. She fell to the ground crying and I was casually escorted to the office, by Keiko as per the request of our teacher.

Because he had faith in my ability to one day be a successful member of society, Principal Takenaka decided to ask my mother remove me from school instead of outright expelling me so he wouldn't have to add another black mark to my already terribly long list of black marks.

Chichi Son is my least favorite person to be around when she's angry.

After laying into me in the middle of Takenaka's office, she pulled me out of school, continued to yell me, and then took me to see her wonderful little sister, Shiori.

And that was why Kurama was walking me to my new locker at my new school.

Kurama was a grade higher than me so all hopes of even seeing him outside of lunch was a pipe dream. I was going to be sitting in class with a bunch of prep school kids who knew me because of my association with Yusuke and they were all going to immediately hate me. I already hated every single one of them, including my cousin who, at the moment, seemed to be enjoying the fact that I was suffering.

We reached my locker and I slammed my head against.

"Don't damage school property, please," he said.

I frowned at him. "I don't like you in a school environment. It makes you ten times more annoying than usual."

"Likewise to you," he said.

"Whatever," I said.

"Don't be so glum, Kairi," he said.

"I hate everything," I said.

"That attitude has got to go," he said. "You have to keep in mind that the only reason you got into this school is because I told them how wonderful you are and how you're going to be on your best behavior."

"Why would you tell a lie like that?" I asked.

Kurama glanced up and down the hallways, which were deserted as homeroom was currently in session. Then he grabbed my arm and twisted it up against my back, and shoved me up against my locker.

"I know this may not mean much to you, everyone in this school likes me quite a lot. If you get into trouble while you're here, then it's not going to look good for me, and I'm actually rather fond of my upstanding reputation," he said. "So, for the duration of your schooling here, I think it best if you made everyone here believe that the sun shines out of your ass."

He released my arm and I rubbed my shoulder.

"It's no fair you doing that when I can't even defend myself," I said.

I was not allowed to use my energy until I got it back to normal, at least Genkai strongly advised me against doing so otherwise I could hurt myself or something to that effect. I wasn't really listening when she explained it, but I wasn't going to argue with her. I was just going to be on normal human status for a while.

"You'll be all right," Kurama said. "Do you remember what you're supposed to do after school?"

I sighed. "I'm supposed to wait until Trunks gets here and then he's going to eventually going to take me home when he gets bored of hanging out with me."

"He only gets bored of hanging out with you because you're a terrible person," Kurama said.

"How can you say that?" I asked.

"It's really just a feeling, Kairi. Feel free to ignore me. I've only really gotten to know you over the course of this past year. I can't really say that I'm going to be able to read you that well," he said.

"But you can read me enough to think that I'm a terrible person?" I asked.

"You're not a terrible person. . . You might just be an emotional terrorist," he said

I gasped. "An emotional terrorist? Did you just call me an emotional terrorist?" Kurama went to explain but I stopped him. "How are those the first words that come to mind? Emotional terrorist?"

"I'm sorry, but you are clearly not interested in him. You're in this strange 'open relationship' with him because you feel some kind of obligation to him which is not okay," he said. "But you don't like him anymore. You've just been leading him on—and don't say you haven't because you have. You're an emotional terrorist. And it's even worse because you're leading him on while you like someone else."

I shrank away from him a little. "You think I like someone else?"

"I don't think. I know," he said.

"Oh, you know, because you're so smart and you know everything. Tell me, oh, wise one, who is this mysterious person who's suddenly, from out of nowhere, managed to catch my eye?" I asked.

"Hiei," he said, bluntly.

My jaw dropped. "Hiei? Really?"

"The fact that you're getting defensive instead of denying it says something," Kurama said.

"I don't like Hiei," I said casually. "I mean, like, he's cool and all, but-."

"The fact that you just used the word 'cool' to describe him is incontrovertible evidence that proves you like him," he said.

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" I asked.

"Because the only time anyone ever uses the word 'cool' to describe someone is when they're describing someone they like, especially when said person has a short man's complex and is considered to be an asshole by everyone he meets," Kurama said.

"Oh, shut up," I said.

"Even you think he's an asshole. As I recall, you once called him the most arrogant, ungrateful, sarcastic asshole you had ever met," Kurama said.

"And how could I possibly have feelings for a person like that?" I asked.

"Because you are a Saiyan and arrogance, sarcasm, and assholery are programmed into your DNA," he said.

"I can't believe you just said 'assholery' like it's a real word," I said.

"I'm merely trying to speak in terms you'll understand," he said.

"I may not be some weirdo brainiac like you, _Suichi_, but I can tell when people are being condescending," I said.

Kurama shrugged and then started to push me along down the hallway.

"Soon, you'll come to see that I was right about all of this and you'll understand," he said. He stopped in front of a classroom door and smiled at me. "In the mean time, how about you go in and meet your new classmates?"

"If I said I'd rather eat glass would that make any difference at all?" I asked.

"Nope," he said. He pulled the classroom door open and walked inside. The teacher saw him and he smiled.

"There you are, Suichi. I was afraid you might not show up," the teacher said.

"Sorry for our tardiness," Kurama said politely as if he hadn't just been being a condescending ass to me out in the hallway.

"Students, 11th grade class representative, Suichi Minamino has a new student to introduce to our class," the teacher went on. "Please give them both your undivided attention."

All of the girls in the class seemed to have broken out into restrained giggled fits. I cannot believe Kurama had fangirls in school.

"This is my cousin, Kairi Son who's just transferred from Sariyaski," Kurama began. The murmuring began almost immediately. That wasn't going to get annoying or anything. "Say 'hello', Kairi."

"Yo," I said, flatly, flashing the peace sign.

"She's quite timid, but I hope that won't deter you from making her feel welcome here," Kurama said.

"I'm sure she'll fit right in here with class 2A," the teacher said. "How about you go have a seat back there, Kairi. Thank you for introducing her to us Suichi."

Kurama walked out of the classroom and I walked to the empty desk at the back of the room. I dropped my bag down on the back of my chair and then plopped down. My teacher started to go on giving the morning announcements, but there were whispers and glances.

I reclined back on my chair and tuned them out. I wasn't happy to be here, but I couldn't really screw things up for Kurama just because I hated everything about my life right now.

"You've gotten older," the boy sitting in the desk next to me said.

I looked over at him and stared for a moment. He looked incredibly familiar but I couldn't place where I'd seen him before.

"Come on, I know you know who I am," he said with a chuckle. "Or maybe you don't recognize me outside of a headlock or without someone tying me to a flag pole."

And then it hit me. "Suekichi! Matsuo Suekichi." Suekichi was one of my classmates until junior high when he transferred schools. He got picked on a lot. Yusuke was always bailing him out of trouble for a small fee of about 10 zeni. Suekichi was always a nice kid though.

"You do remember me," he said. "And I haven't had the chance to forget you. Your reputation precedes you. Urameshi's too."

"How've you been?" I asked.

"Great. I'm on the boxing team now," he said.

"Good for you. I thought it was kind of pathetic when you let Yusuke take your money all of the time," I said.

"That's a little rude to say," he said.

"Well, when you're right you're right," I said with a shrug.

"Why aren't you at Sariyaski anymore?" he asked. "You didn't get expelled did you?"

"They asked my mother to remove me after repeated reports of harassment from some girl there," I said. "You remember Rei don't you?"

"She's still giving you problems after 10 years?" he asked.

"Not anymore apparently," I said. The bell rang and I sighed.

"Cheer up. It's not so bad here," Suekichi said. "Although, I don't doubt that everyone will give you a hard time about being Suichi's little cousin. He's kind of a like an in school celebrity."

"He has that effect on people," I said getting to my feet.

"I didn't even know he had a cousin and I wouldn't have ever guessed the two of you were related," he said.

"I don't blame him for it," I said. "I wouldn't tell people I was related to me either."

I stopped in the middle of the hallway because I sensed something odd outside of the building. I walked over to a window and looked outside. Botan was standing outside, waving at me.

"You've gotta be kidding me," I said.

"You know her?" Suekichi asked.

"Sadly," I said. "How do I get to the roof?"

"Just take the stairs all the way up. It's connected," he said. "But we've got math-."

"I'll be there, don't worry," I said. "Save me a seat. I've got to deal with this."


	2. One Who Protects

"Well don't you look fancy in your new uniform," Botan teased. I'd met her on the roof like I often did at Sariyaski. Today I wasn't as pleased as to see her as I would usually be.

"Kurama is going to hang me for being late to class on my first day. He is extra cranky about school. I don't think he wants me here," I said.

"Well you should've thought about that before you got yourself kicked out of school. I'm always telling you and Yusuke to behave yourselves. You'd do well to take after Kurama every once in a while," Botan said.

I groaned. "Thanks for the lecture, _mom_. Want to tell me what you're doing here now? I'm supposed to be taking a break from the detective stuff."

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed," Botan said with a frown. "I'd expect Yusuke to be oblivious to his surroundings, but not you. Haven't you noticed anything odd?"

"I hope you're not just talking about Karakura Town because everything here is weird and they've always got strange crap going. In fact, I'm surprised you've never sent Yusuke or me here," I said.

"Yes, Karakura Town is strange, but it's handled differently than what you and Yusuke are involved in," Botan said.

"So what is it?" I asked.

"We've noticed an increase of deaths not just here in Karakura Town but also in West City," Botan said. "The amount of deaths obviously fluctuates all of the time but we haven't seen something so dramatic in a very long time and we can't explain it."

"I'm guessing that's not all," I said.

"Of course not. We've also seen a large migration of insects," Botan said. "But the most startling piece of evidence we have is that there've been random bursts of energy all over the area."

"That's pretty sketchy," I said. "The Dark Tournament just ended. Usually there's a lull in the craziness after that because everyone's happy and pacified. And the fact that our team won should've only added to that."

"But that's just it. The energy bursts aren't coming from demons—they're coming from humans," she said.

"Humans?" I asked.

"Yes. We're simply baffled by it in Spirit World. None of us can explain it," Botan said. "They've been happening all over, very briefly for the past few weeks, almost since you returned from the tournament."

"That can't be a coincidence," I said. "Did you tell Yusuke about this yet?"

"No. I was just on my way to see him after you," Botan said materializing her oar. "I'll have to ask you to be on your guard, though I doubt you'll get into much trouble here."

"Why do you keep talking about this place like that? You know as well as I do that Karakura Town has the highest amount Spirit Energy and spiritual activity on the planet. You know I can't use my energy. What if there's some random explosion for no reason like there always is," I said. "Does Spirit World just pretend this place doesn't exist?"

"For lack of a better term, Karakura Town is not under Spirit World jurisdiction," she said.

"What does that even mean?" I asked. "This is the Living World. It's _all_ in your jurisdiction."

"Don't fret, Kairi, you're always making a fuss over nothing," she said reaching into her kimono. She handed me a sheet of paper with an address on it. "Go here afterschool. It's attached to a little clinic so you can't miss it."

"What is it?" I asked.

"I'm going to introduce you to the people who are in charge of Karakura Town," Botan said.

"And that would be who?" I asked.

"The Soul Society," Botan said.

I stared at her blankly for a moment before bursting out into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, Botan. You know the Soul Society isn't real. You and your jokes," I said dismissively.

"But I'm serious Kairi. It is real. The accidents and the swells of energy that happen here all of the time are caused by hollows and the subsequently, the soul reapers who release them," Botan said.

I went through my memory banks and pulled out all of the information I knew about the Soul Society, hollows, and soul reapers. According to myth, the Soul Society is a place that functioned just like Spirit World—they maintained the balance of souls here in the Living World by having the dead crossover to their world when they died. The people actively in charge of maintaining that balance here were called Soul Reapers and they had basically the same job as Botan, except that when they came across the souls of the dead wandering around as ghost, they didn't pop them on the back of their oar and fly them to Spirit World, they used swords, called Zanpakto, to perform something called a konso, or soul burial, which would effectively free their souls from the Living World and allow them to crossover.

In addition to performing konsos, the other job of the Soul Reaper was to keep the Living World safe by dealing with things called hollows. To put it simply a Hollow was a corrupted soul—whether it was left here in the Living World too long or it became too attached to a place or person, and also the soul could be turned into a Hollow by other, more powerful Hollows, it became corrupt and turned into a monster that devoured other souls. The job of a soul reaper was to cleanse these corrupted souls of the evil that overtook them and send their souls off to the Soul Society.

Living in the farfetched world of demons and the fact that my father was an alien, the whole story didn't seem too farfetched, except for the fact that I'd been told that the Soul Society and all parties associated with it didn't exist. And if for some reason it did exist that would mean one huge thing.

"If that's true, Botan, then that would mean that Soul Society and the Spirit World would have to coexist together and that not all souls go to Spirit World," I said.

"Bingo!" she said. "Right on the money."

My jaw dropped. Unbelievable.

"And why are you just telling me this now?" I asked. "How long have you known me?"

"Oh, it didn't matter before. You never liked Karakura Town and all the other places that had high level of activity you were guided away from. Besides, have you ever actually seen a hollow before?" she asked.

"No, but being that they're the souls of the dead and that I'm not a super freak like Kuwabara, I doubt I could if they did exist," I said.

"Well they do exist and the reason people like you and your friends with such a high levels of Spirit Energy have never been attacked by one is because the Soul Reapers are even better at their jobs than you are at yours," she said. "It wouldn't have mattered."

I sighed. Botan was right, and she hadn't ever lied to me before and this would be an awful stupid thing for her to lie about.

"Fine," I said. "I concede to the existence of the Soul Society."

"Oh, excellent, because otherwise you'd be forced to when you inevitably got attacked by one here in Karakura Town," she said.

"You just said that the Soul Reapers are better at their jobs than I am at mine," I said.

"Yes, but with the high burst of Spirit Energy popping up all over these days, it's inevitable that you'll happen upon one before they notice it," Botan said.

"Great. I'm glad I've learned this on a day where I can't use my Spirit Energy," I said.

"You'll be fine. In fact there's a substitute soul reaper in your class. That's how you ended up in there," Botan said.

"Substitute?" I asked.

"A human given the powers of a Soul Reaper to assist them here in the Living World. He's made quite a reputation for himself in the Soul Society over the summer and despite being human they talk very highly of him," she said.

"Sounds like Yusuke," I said.

Botan laughed. "Oh, yes, but I've met him and he's a great deal nicer than Yusuke. I feel that you two will get along just swimmingly. After gauging all of you in the Dark Tournament and comparing his power with your teammates', we've concluded that Hiei is only slightly more powerful than him."

"There's a random human substitute soul reaper running around almost as powerful as Hiei?" I asked.

"Well, look at you Miss I Turned Toguro Into Dust While Suffering From a Mortal Wound," Botan said.

"I'm half-Saiyan. Rules don't apply to me," I said.

"That address is to the boy's house. My contact in the Soul Society has told him to expect you and been given your whole Spirit Detective back story, and he was just as incredulous of your existence as you were of his," Botan said hopping onto her oar. "I'll see you after school, dear!"

"But, wait, what's his name?" I asked, but Botan had already flown off. I sighed. "Why is this my life?"

I turned to walk back inside, but I sensed a large burst of strange energy coming from not too far away. I turned to see if I could see where it was coming from. I walked over to the fence going around the roof's perimeter and zeroed in on it. It wasn't very powerful, but definitely stronger than what you'd usually find here in the Living World. It didn't feel like demon energy and it didn't feel very human either. It was almost like what I was feeling wasn't very alive at all.

A Hollow. I was sensing a Hollow right now. I couldn't believe it. Now this strange energy made perfect sense if you factored in the existence of the Soul Society. That didn't make it any less weird.

In the middle of my thoughts the roof door swung open and a tall orange haired boy ran through. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me, looking startled and panicked.

"Hi," he said, looking slightly anxious.

"Hi," I replied. I stared at him, waiting for him to speak. When he didn't I turned back and tried to zero back in on the Hollow.

". . .What are you doing here?" the boy asked.

"Pondering," I said.

"Oh. . . Okay," he said.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

"No! Not at all! Why would there be a problem? It's a free roof after all!" he said anxiously. I turned and looked back at the boy.

"You're acting a little bit weird, if you don't mind me pointing that out," I said.

"You're the one hanging out on the roof during second period, _pondering_," he said.

"If you knew me, I guarantee you that you wouldn't think my behavior was weird right now," I said.

"Well you don't know me either. How do you know I don't just spend second period hanging out on the roof?" he asked.

I nodded and turned back toward the energy. It had disappeared.

"You're that new girl in my class aren't you?" he asked. "Kairi?"

"Yes I am," I said. "Don't worry; I didn't go to class at my old school either. Although, if you're hanging out up here, you're probably not very concerned about class either."

"Actually I do need to go to class," he said.

"But you were so keen to be up here two seconds ago. What changed?" I asked.

"Nothing! I just changed my mind," he said nonchalantly.

I smiled at him. "You're a weird guy."

"Apparently," he said.

"I guess I'll just go to class now and let you be weird all on your own. My cousin will kill me for skipping my first day anyway," I said. I walked past him, but stopped on the stairs. "What's your name again?"

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," he said.

"That's a weird name. Ichigo," I said as I started down the stairs.

"It's not a weird name," he said following me down the stairs.

I shrugged. "It means 'one who protects' right?" He stopped when we got to the door. "What? Is that not right? I just figured your parents probably didn't name you 'Strawberry' and 'One-Five' seemed pretty dumb too."

"No, you were right," he said.

"So is there a reason you're giving me that weird look?" I asked.

"I'm not giving you a weird look," he said.

". . . Okay then," I said pushing through door to the third floor.

"And you?" he asked.

I paused. "Ambiguous question is ambiguous."

"Your name," he said.

"Oh. It's stupid. I don't talk about my name," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, let's just say Kairi Son is the abridged version of my name," I said.

"Abridged? Like a nickname?" he asked.

"I guess so, yeah," I said. I looked around and made sure the hallways were empty. "Can you keep a secret?" He nodded. "My actual first name is Goku-Kairi. They named me after my dad."

"Oh, that's unfortunate," he said.

"I know, but I love my dad so it's all good," I said. "Kairi means ocean village, as for Goku, 'go' translates from guardian and 'ku' is sky."

"Guardian of the sky from the ocean village?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I'm from East District actually, in Mount Paozu, pretty far from the ocean," I said.

"You're from Mount Paozu with all the monsters and dinosaurs?" he asked.

"Yeah. I stay in West City with some family friends," I said. At least I did for now until I got my energy back. There was something incredibly awesome about flying back and forth between Mt. Paozu and West City for school every day.

"You're like a foreign exchange student," Ichigo said. "But haven't you been going to Sariyaski since forever?"

"Yeah, how'd you know that?" I asked.

"I saw you once in eighth grade. I ran into your friend Urameshi," he said.

And then a light bulb went off in my head. "You hung out with Yasutora Sado didn't you?"

"Yeah, he's in our class, but everybody calls him Chad," Ichigo said.

"Well shit, everyone talks about me being a bully, and here you are with your own bad reputation although you seem too nice for it," I said.

"Well that's because it's not true. I'm not a bully at all. Not even a little bit," Ichigo said. "Chad and I used to just get in a lot trouble because people were always looking pick fights with us."

"Ah, because of the hair and because Chad just looks like a challenge?" I asked when we got to the second floor and exited into the hallway.

"Right," he said. "But I'm assuming your reputation-."

"Mostly accurate. I punched my fair share of morons in the face, but Yusuke is the actual thug. I mostly just observed," I said.

"Chad said you knocked him unconscious," Ichigo said.

"Only, like, twice, on a dare," I said.

"Said you did it in one hit. You're stronger than you look," he said.

"I get that a lot," I said.

"Oh, hey," Ichigo said, grabbing me and stopping me from walking any further.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You have math right?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"This is it right here," he said. "Unless you weren't going to class."

"No, I'm going actually. There are a lot of people I know who'll kill me if I don't put at least the tiniest bit of effort into school," I said.

He opened the classroom door and we walked inside.

"Mister Kurosaki, late for class I see, and who's this you've got with you?" the teacher asked. He looked back at me. "You must be Kairi Son, from Sariyaski."

"Yeah, sorry we're late. I got so lost. Ichigo here helped steer me in the right direction," I said. "It won't happen again."

I gave him Ichigo a pat on the back and walked to an empty desk at the back of the class.


	3. The Soul Reaper and the Spirit Detective

It was raining that afternoon when I got out of school. I didn't have a jacket or an umbrella and I was walking from one end of the city to the other. The address that Botan gave me was all the way on the other side of the city and I was instantly furious with her for making me walk in the rain. The plan had originally been for Trunks to come pick me up from school, but I'd told him not to worry about because I'd made other arrangements.

By the time I got to the address, I was completely soaked and cold. I couldn't wait until I could use my energy again so I could fly instead of having to endure this.

The address was indeed that of a clinic, and my brain went all fuzzy when read the attached sign.

_Kurosaki Clinic_.

I definitely remembered where I'd heard that name before earlier today.

I stood looking at the sign, questioning it's existence, shivering and wet, only getting wetter, when I heard a voice.

"Kairi?"

I turned and looked around, but I didn't see anyone.

"Up here."

I looked up at the second floor window which was open. To my surprise, Ichigo Kurosaki was looking down at me.

"Ichigo," I said.

"So you're really the Spirit Detective?" he asked forwardly. No use beating around the bush since it was now obvious.

"That's what they tell me," I said.

"Hang on. I'll come let you in," he said. He closed his window and walked away. I turned back to the street, slightly confused, when he came to the side door of the house. "Come in here. You look miserable."

I walked into his house and he closed the door behind me. Then he handed me a towel.

"Looked like you could use this," he said.

"Thank you," I said. I dried my hair with the towel and then wrapped it around my shoulders to keep from shivering. I slipped my shoes off and walked into the kitchen.

"Nice place," I said.

"Thanks," he said. "Sorry, I didn't tell you at school earlier. Didn't seem like the time or place."

"Really? That's the only time anyone ever decides to tell me anything important," I said.

"What exactly does a Spirit Detective do?" Ichigo asked.

"I keep the Living World safe from demons, and on the flip side I keep demons safe from humans sometimes. We can all be cruel," I said. "And how long have you been helping the Soul Society?"

"Only a few months," he said. "I got pulled into it by accident. A Hollow attacked me one day and there was this soul it was trying to eat and I saved the soul from being eaten, and this Soul Reaper, Rukia got all injured and gave me her powers and I've been fighting hollows ever since."

"That's interesting," I said.

"Rukia told me you helped stop some giant alien when you were a kid," he said.

"Yeah. And I've been saving the world ever since," I said. "I was only eight."

"What kind of powers do you have?" he asked.

"Energy manipulation basically. I've got all this Spirit Energy and I might as well use it to kick ass. Additionally though, I do happen to also have some psychic abilities that I have not yet mastered," I said.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Well, telepathy, the only skills. Precognition which sounds cool but it's so sporadic and usually I just see people getting killed so I could do without it. And then there's telekinesis which I'm better at, but I can use it to create a force field, but it require a lot of focus and I'm not very good at it," I said.

"You can see the future and stuff?" he asked.

I nodded. "Not very good at it though."

"That's funny," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I always thought that fortune tellers and things like that were total bull crap," he said.

"Oh, they are. I'm not very good at it and the only person I know who can do it isn't sketchy street side fortune teller. . . Even though she is a fortune teller," I said. "But it's whatever."

"Anyone ever told you that you probably don't listen to yourself when you talk?" he asked.

I laughed. "Yeah, actually. A few times."

Ichigo and I fell into silence for a few moments before he finally said something.

"So, why did you walk here? It's on the other side of town. Couldn't you have gotten a ride if you didn't have a coat?" he asked.

"I did have this guy coming to pick me up after school, but when Botan sent me over here I told him not to worry about it," I said.

"It still sucks outside. I'd think that your boyfriend would offer to drive you," Ichigo said.

I chuckled. "He's not my boyfriend. Not really anyway."

"Not really?" Ichigo asked.

"We're just kind of trying things out," I said. "I've known him since we were kids and I don't want to screw that up or anything."

"I think that if you have any reservations about it at all, then it's probably a bad idea," he said.

"I definitely like him, but I don't know," I said.

"I think you probably like the idea of being his friend more than his girlfriend basically," he said. "And if that's what you want, then you can't feel guilty for not feeling like he does."

I sighed. "I'm glad someone is actually thinking about how I might feel in all of this instead of just calling me an emotional terrorist."

"Well if you don't want to be with him and you're giving him the impression that you might want to be with him then maybe the title might be appropriate," he said.

"How very rude of you, Ichigo Kurosaki," I said. He chuckled.

"So, Rukia told me that you don't do the Spirit Detective thing on your own," Ichigo said.

"No, I don't actually," I said. "Yusuke, who you said you've run into before, he's my partner, the other Spirit Detective. And then there's Kuwabara who isn't a Spirit Detective, but he always tags along whenever we get a mission so he might as well be. And then there's Kurama, well. . . Suichi."

"Suichi?" he asked.

"Yeah. Can you keep another secret?" I asked. He nodded. "Suichi is actually a demon."

"What?" he asked.

"Yep. His real name is Kurama. I'd get into his whole backstory, but it's long and tiresome and I'm really tired of telling it to people, but he's a demon," I said. "And he helps me when he can. And then there's this other demon, Hiei."

"And?" he asked.

"Hiei is. . . Special. He's got an asocial personality and he's incredibly arrogant and he's got a complex about his height even though he says he doesn't, but to his credit he is an incredible, unstoppable fighting machine. We called him our sure thing because he's never lost a fight," I said. "He thinks we're tolerable at best most of the time; he can't stand us"

"Well, if he doesn't like you how'd he get roped into your team anyway?" Ichigo asked.

"He's a criminal. Tried to take over the world and all that. Working with us is his way of paying back his debt to society," I said.

"How do you know he won't turn on you?" Ichigo asked.

"We're a team and despite being the most arrogant bastard I have ever met, Hiei would never be disloyal to us because he's got too much honor to betray us," I said. "That and I think hanging out with us has given him a soft spot for humans."

"I've got a team too," Ichigo said.

"Oh, Kai, there's more than one of you?" I asked.

"No. I'm the only soul reaper. But, there is Uryu-."

"Uryu Ishida? Four eyes?" I asked.

"You know him?" he asked.

I nodded. "I used to torture him in elementary school, but go on," I said.

"He's a Quincy," Ichigo said. "You know what a Quincy is?"

"Yes. But they're not supposed. . . Never mind. I feel like I'm wearing myself out by saying that," I said.

"Chad helps out too. And Orihime," Ichigo said.

"Orihime?" I asked.

"She's the red-headed girl in our class? Kind of an airhead, over excited," Ichigo said.

"Eats all that weird crap?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's her," he said.

"Wasn't expecting that, but it's all right," I said. "My teammates are pretty unassuming as well."

Outside, the rain was finally starting to let up, and the door opened. Two little girls walked in. One had short brown hair with a single barrette pushing it back behind her ear and had a smile fixed onto her face. The other girl had slightly longer black hair and had a slight scowl.

"But at least it stopped raining finally," the blonde girl said.

"Yeah, after we got home. I told you we should've just waited," the other girl complained.

Then the two girls saw me. They stared at me for a moment, studying me. I don't think I'd ever felt so uncomfortable.

"Hi!" the brown haired girl said, smiling at me.

"Hello," I said.

"Who are you?" the dark haired girl asked.

"Hey, don't be like that. She's one of my classmates," Ichigo said.

"I'm Yuzu," the brown haired girl said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kairi," I said.

"I like your hair," she said.

"Thanks. I like yours too," I said.

"This is my twin sister, Karin. She's cranky like my brother," Yuzu said.

"I am not cranky!" Ichigo and Karin said.

I laughed as my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I fished it out and answered it.

"Kairi, what are you up to?" Keiko asked.

"Oh, just stuff. What's up?" I asked.

"Your best friend bailed on me to go beat up some random street kids like the moron he is," she explained.

"That's Yusuke for you," I said.

"Anyway, did you wanna come over for dinner and hang out or something?" she asked. "I need to talk to someone about how much of an asshole my boyfriend is."

"I'm your girl," I said.

"Cool, see you in 20 minutes?" she asked.

"Sounds good," I said.

I hung up my phone and stuck it back into my pocket.

"I've got to get going," I said.

"Isn't your ride coming?" he asked.

"No. I'm just going to walk to my friend's house. She doesn't live far from here, besides, it's stopped raining so it'll be fine," I said. I handed him back the towel he'd given me when I first walked in. "It was nice meeting you two."

"Yeah," Karin said dismissively.

"You should come back and have dinner with us someday! Ichigo never has any friends over," Yuzu said.

"Maybe I'll take you up on that one day," I said picking up my bag. "I'll see you at school Ichigo."

I got up from the table, slipped on my shoes and walked outside. The air was still moist from the rain and the streets were still damp, but the sun was starting to come back out and the ugly gray rain clouds had long since moved on.

As I walked toward Keiko's house, I thought back to meeting Ichigo. He was a lot different than any of the other guys that I knew. He was actually a nice guy who happened to cleanse Hollows in his spare time. And he hardly seemed arrogant for a human who had awesome abilities and responsibility thrust upon him like a certain Spirit Detective I knew.

I approved of Ichigo Kuroaski's existence, even if it meant that everything I'd been taught about the Soul Society had been a lie.

The sky was starting to get dark again and I feared it would rain so I took a short cut through a few back alleys to avoid getting caught in the next downpour.

This was, in hindsight, a bad idea.

"Well, what've we got here?"

Shit. And I was just a few blocks away from Keiko's house. And what was worse, it was starting to drizzle. A group of thugs I recognized immediately from Denison High had appeared at the other end of the alley I was walking down. I sighed.

"Ain't that the Karakura High School uniform?" one of the boys asked.

"Yeah, you're pretty far from home aren't you?" another said. From the way they were standing this one appeared to be their leader. "But you gotta familiar face. We met somewhere before?"

"Can't say I've had the pleasure," I said. I didn't have my energy so it would be moot to try to run because they'd just catch me. If I wanted to get out of this I was going to have to hope I could still throw a punch as usual.

"I do know you. You're that, uh, girl who hangs out with Urameshi and Kuwabara—Kairi Son ain't it?" the leader asked.

"Kairi Son '_isn't' _it you mean. And yes, I am she," I replied.

"So you go to Karakura High do ya, what brought that change on?" the leader pressed on as he and his things inched closer to me.

"I was tired of slumming it down here with you hoodrats. I thought a change of venue might be in order," I said.

"Hoodrats? That's what you said?" the leader asked pulling out a switchblade. I groaned. They were hoodrats and I'd brought _nothing_ to a knife fight. This was bullcrap. I wanted to bring Toguro back to life just to kill him again for putting me in this mess.

I just had to think clearly. For starters, these guys were clearly morons and I wasn't. Secondly, I had martial arts experience a plenty to make up for what I was currently lacking in strength. I'd just have to make sure that I didn't let them get the jump on me. They may've been run of the mill humans, but I was still incredibly slow and much slower now in my current state.

"Look, boys, I'm sure you've got better things to do than to harass random girls on the street, so I'm just going to get out of your way," I said trying to step away from them.

"No, stay awhile. Maybe we can have a little fun together. I might not even hurt you if you keep quiet," he said. He came at me with the knife. I knocked it from his hand and gave him one hard knee to the stomach. He instantly went down, clutching his stomach in pain.

Now it was time to make my escape. There were too many of them for me to charge. I turned and dashed back down to the other end of the alley.

"Stop her!" he called out. I didn't look back to see how close they were to catching me, but to my luck most of their footsteps sounded more and more distant as I reached the other end.

Just as I reached the street, four of his thugs appeared at the end of alley. I turned to go back the other way but they had me there too.

"Running away, Kairi Son?" the leader asked, waddling up to me, still clutching his stomach.

"Look, I've got somewhere I need to be and I don't have time for this," I said, as if that was going to help them change their minds about jumping me and who knows what else.

"Maybe if you're a good little girl and you do what I say, I'll forget that you hit me in the stomach," he said.

"I'd rather eat glass than be your good little girl," I said.

"You heard her fellas," he said.

They all came at me at once, and even though I was able to keep the first few off me, I couldn't hold them all off. They slammed me against the brick wall. I felt the side of my face cut and scrape against it as they finally pulled me to the ground.

I started to get back to my feet, but they proceeded to repeatedly kick me in the abdomen. I fell over on the ground. I couldn't believe I was getting my ass kicked by a bunch of high school delinquents.

"Now, Kairi Son, I think it's about time you'd play nice," he said.

"Eat a dick," I said.

The leader kicked me right across my face. The warm, metallic taste of blood pooled into my mouth. I spit it out onto the ground in front of me. I thought for sure getting punched into a wall by Toguro would be the last time I was in this much pain, but evidently I was wrong. I couldn't even move anymore because the pain in my chest was so bad. On top of that I was too disoriented from the kick in the face to do much of anything anyway.

"No, how about _you_ eat a dick," he said. His boys behind him chuckled. He grabbed me and slammed me back against the wall. "I think it's finally time I taught you a lesson."

This was it. I braced for the worst.

"I'd rethink what you're about to do if I were you."


	4. Kissing A Fool

"And just who do you think you are?" the leader of the gang asked.

"Just a passerby who thinks you should move along."

Despite the overwhelming dizziness I was feeling, I opened my eyes. To my relief—and surprise, Hiei was standing there, as nonchalant as ever.

"Look at this ankle biter; I'll handle him myself," their leader said. I managed out a chuckle and he looked back at me. "You think somethin's funny, eh?"

"Just the fact that you're a moron whose about to get what's coming to him is all," I said.

He turned around to smack me across the face, but never got the opportunity. I barely blinked and Hiei was standing in front of me, sword drawn with it gently pressed against the boy's shoulder. The color drained from his face and I could hear the rest of his thugs trembling with terror behind me.

"If you ever want to use that arm to touch yourself again, I suggest you step away from her," Hiei said.

"Hey man, just be cool," the boy said, backing away. "I didn't want any trouble."

"Hit the road. You're boring me and the only way I can currently see fit to entertain myself would be to kill you," Hiei said.

The boy immediately took off out of the alley and his companions followed.

I wiped the remaining bit of blood from my mouth and Hiei turned around to me.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," he said.

"I see you're as sympathetic as ever, Hiei," I said. "I missed that about you."

"Are you okay?" he asked, extending his hand out to me.

"Compared to the recent hole I took in my chest I'd say I'm going to make a full recovery," I said taking his hand and getting to my feet. "Thank you."

"I see you still can't use your energy," he said.

"Yeah. A few more days and I should be good to go, if I'm not raped and murdered by deranged high school boys before then," I said.

"Try wearing pants; that might deter them," Hiei said.

I frowned at him. "For starters, this is my school uniform and I have to wear it. Secondly, I shouldn't be attacked just because I have nice legs."

"What else would they attack you for?" Hiei asked.

"Sometimes having a vagina is enough reason," I said. "It could also be my charming personality."

"Can you think of another reason that _isn't_ imaginary?" Hiei asked.

". . . Are you referring to my vagina or my personality?" I asked.

"Well one of them I've seen before and the other I haven't; deduce the truth on your own," he said.

My entire face flooded with humiliation. I really wished that he'd been talking about my personality just now, but remembering seeing him standing there as I flailed to the bathroom floor completely naked, I knew he wasn't.

"And everyone can see through your shirt by the way," he said. Out of reflex, I quickly raised my arms to cover myself. What else was the universe going to throw at me today? "Relax detective—it's more covered up than I'm used to seeing you after all."

I glared at him. "I hate you."

"No you don't," he said. I rolled my eyes. "See you around, Detective."

"Wait—you're just leaving me here?" I asked completely forgetting that he'd just been on my last nerve seconds ago.

"It doesn't look like you're in anymore danger," he said.

"But what if they come back?" I asked.

"I don't think they'll be coming back," Hiei said.

"Well, if not them then somebody else will," I said. "A lot of people here hate me."

"That sounds like your problem everywhere," he said.

"You can be my bodyguard and keep me company," I said.

"That sounds a lot like babysitting to me," he said.

"Come on, I'll pay you back for it," I said.

"And how would you do that?" he asked.

I shrugged, a slight smile crossing my face seeing now that I might get my way. "I don't know. I'm sure you can think of something you want from me."

Hiei smirked. "I can think of a few things actually."

I felt myself blush at the comment, but quickly shook it off. This whole situation was getting to be uncomfortable enough without me blushing. I looked around to get my bearings and then started a bit down the alley to the fire escape on the side of the building.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Just follow me," I said. I jumped up, ignoring the throbbing pain from my injuries, and managed to grab hold of the ladder and pull myself up. "Come on already. I've seen drying paint move faster than you." I raced up the fire escape and when I reached the top of the building, Hiei was already there waiting for me. "You're just a show off."

"You shouldn't just go around insulting people," he said. "Why did you bring me up here?"

I walked over to the ledge of the building, which was about chest high and looked down.

"People watching," I said.

"Seriously?" he asked.

"I don't see any delinquent high school boys up here, do you?" I asked. "I'm just trying to make your life easier, and you know, hide from anyone that Kuwabara and Yusuke have pissed of recently."

Hiei walked over to the ledge with me and looked at the people below.

"Can you feel the difference in the air?" Hiei asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The energy in this town is sickening. The bugs fly to it like a shark to an open wound. Is it a sign of things to come?" Hiei asked. He turned to me. "Or is the danger already here?"

"But what do you care?" I asked.

"I don't," he replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Botan said something was probably up."

"Are you concerned?" Hiei asked.

I shook my head. "After Toguro I'm confident Yusuke can handle anything until I get my powers back. And anyway, you're probably the most dangerous thing in this city right now."

"Oh, really?" he asked.

I nodded. "After seeing what you did in the tournament I wouldn't want to run into you in a dark alley."

"Except for today?" he asked.

I laughed. "Let me rephrase, I wouldn't want to run into you in a dark alley and be on your bad side."

"You're _always_ on my bad side, Detective," he said.

"Oh, I see. There are degrees to your bad side then," I said. "I must be on the good side of your bad side."

"Something like that," he said.

Part of my brain had seen this coming, and the other part that was probably suffering from a concussion because of my recent head injury was taken by surprise.

I was kissing Hiei again. It happened out of instinct just like it had the first time, but this time round something felt different. I didn't feel as anxious as I did before. I could almost say that it felt comfortable. Everything about this kiss was different. Our bodies were pressed close together, his hand was resting on the side of my face and it all just felt right.

But then something weird happened. I felt the most gentle of vibrations from down below. Instantly I was back on high anxiety mode. Why did I feel vibrations in my pants? Sure, I couldn't recall ever having been kissed like this before, but was that any reason for my body to take a jump off the deep end?

The vibrations returned again just as quickly as they came they disappeared. What was wrong with me?

That's when I came to a realization. I quickly broke the kiss and shuffled through the pleats on my skirt until I found my pocket and phone my ringing cellphone.

I glanced at the caller ID and felt a wave of guilt flood over me.

I answered it quickly.

"Keiko," I said.

"Where are you? I've been waiting for almost an hour here," she said. "Are you okay? You didn't run into trouble did you? I've been getting calls-."

"I'm sorry. I'm almost there. I'll explain when I get there," I said.

"All right," she said.

I hung up my phone, now starting to feel the familiar sting of embarrassment like I had before. I looked up at Hiei who seemed completely complacent as usual. How was he so calm? How did he feel absolutely nothing after this? He made me want to slam my head into a wall.

"I have to go see Keiko. . . I'll see you around," I said. He gave me a nod. I waited for him to say something, but I knew that was moot. So walked back over to the fire escape.

888

When I arrived at Keiko's house, I came in through the back to avoid seeing her parents out front. I was still a mess and covered in blood from my altercation with the thugs in the alley and showing up covered in blood would result in an unnecessary phone call to my parents which would only make my dad crazy.

I ran up to her room and went inside. She turned from sitting at her desk and dropped her jaw when she saw me.

"What happened to you? What happened to your face? It's all cut up and bleeding," she said

"It's a long story," I said closing her door. I was walking here from Karakura Town and some idiots from Denison got the jump on me," I said.

"So you still can't use your energy then?" she asked. I shook my head. "Well how'd you manage to get away then?"

"Believe it or not, Hiei showed up and saved my ass—he then mocked me for it, but it definitely would've been worse if he hadn't shown up," I said.

"Oh, my god. Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. The good news is those losers from Denison will probably tell everyone that I've got a bodyguard with a sword watching my back," I said. "You have a change of clothes?"

"Yeah," she said going to her closet. "I'm in between laundry right now so you'll have to wear a skirt." I sighed. "I know you hate wearing them outside of school, but it's better than what you've got on right now."

Keiko sat out a denim skirt and a long sleeved blue t-shirt for me to put on.

"So what happened? Trunks, Kuwabara, and Kurama all called looking for you," Keiko said as I changed. "They all sounded pretty worried."

"Rightly so, obviously," I said.

"Don't they know where you are?" Keiko asked.

"No. Trunks was supposed to pick me up after school but Botan came by and sent me on some Spirit Detective business after school where I had to go meet up with one of my classmates. You called me while I was at his house and I walked here from there," I said. "Of course, I got my ass beat along the way. . ."

"Well at least you know Hiei is looking out for you," she said.

I sighed. If only she knew.

"Wow, you're covered in bruises," she said as I pulled the shirt on. "Do you need anything?"

"No. I'll be fine. It hurts, but I've had worse obviously. It's starting to just feel numb anyway," I said. "So what did you say Yusuke did?"

"Oh, right—so we get out of school and these three random guys show up and they want to fight Yusuke. Kuwabara and I just tell him it isn't worth it but my boyfriend is an idiot and he's bored so he ditched us," she explained.

"Sounds like him," I said. "I'd like to know where he was when I was getting jumped, and by a bunch of guys who only hate me because I'm his friend at that."

888

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Keiko, telling her about Ichigo and the Soul Society, recalling my first day of school in Karakura Town and listening to her explain to me how proud Rei was that I'd gotten kicked out of school.

We ate dinner and it started getting late. Not wanting a repeat of what happened earlier in the day, I took out my phone and prepared to call Trunks, but I saw that I had almost 30 missed calls from Kuwabara, Kurama, Trunks, and my aunt, Shiori, after leaving it in my book bag while I hung out with Keiko.

"You should've called them. They're probably worried about you," Keiko said. "You should've told them you were here."

"It's weird," I said scrolling through my missed calls. "Your boyfriend didn't call me."

"Why would he? If anyone thinks you can take care of yourself it's Yusuke, right?" she asked.

"Yes, and since I've been being babysat for the past month I appreciate that, but if I disappeared off the face of the planet and the smartest person in my family can't find me what's the most logical thing that he would do?" I asked.

"Call Yusuke to see if he knows where you are," she said.

"They called you," I said.

"But that was right after school," she said.

"Right, and you called me and told me everyone was looking for me, so why didn't Yusuke? I've been gone for hours. Even he would be concerned at this point," I said.

"That is weird," Keiko said. She grabbed her phone from her desk and called Yusuke. ". . . Straight to voicemail. They probably couldn't reach him after he ran off to fight those kids. You don't think he's in trouble too, do you?"

I scoffed. "You watched him fight in the same tournament I did, right? He probably just went to the arcade and never charged his phone."

"Well, you'd better call them and tell them you're fine before they send out a search party," she said.

I did as Keiko instructed and called Kurama.

"Where are you? We have been trying to reach you all evening!" he shouted.

"Sorry I'm just with Keiko," I said. "Botan sent me on an errand after school so I-."

"You can explain it to me later. At the moment your assistance is required. You need to come to the park immediately," he said.

"What for?" I asked.

"I'll explain it to you when you're not around Keiko. I feel there's no reason to alarm her just yet," Kurama said.

I sighed. That meant that something had happened to Yusuke and now we had to go rescue him. I was really in no position to deal with this right now.

"I'll be there in five minutes," I said. I hung up my phone. "Apparently my Spirit Detective services are needed."

"Be careful," she said.

"Don't worry. There's no reason to be worried about me," I said.

It was her idiot boyfriend that we needed to keep a tighter leash on.


	5. Throwing Stones in a Glass House

_[A/N: I have a computer again! And internet! And I have LOTS of chapters already written so I'll try stagger posting them while I'm in school for the summer!]_

I got to the park quickly and found Kurama, Kuwabara, and Botan waiting there for me looking slightly anxious, but that all vanished when they saw me.

"What happened to you?" Kuwabara asked.

"I just got my ass kicked. No big deal," I said.

"Wait, what?" Kurama asked.

"I said I'm fine," I said. "Just tell me what's up with Yusuke."

"After school Urameshi went to go fight these punks who just randomly showed up and then Puu showed up telling us he was kidnapped and we found this note where we saw him last saying that the three of us and Hiei needed to come and save him by 11 o'clock or they'd kill him," Kuwabara said.

"Of course he gets into trouble while I'm useless. What a moron," I said. I sighed. "But I guess there's a bigger problem than that if they know about all five of us. Not to mention the fact that someone actually managed to kidnap him."

"Yes, we've considered this as well," Kurama said. "Which is why we've been trying to get in touch with you for so long. What's the point of having a cellphone if you don't use it? What have you been doing all night? You know what—never mind. Now we just need to find Hiei so we can go and retrieve Yusuke."

I sighed. "Oh, you guys. . ."

"What?" Kuwabara asked.

"I was just saw Hiei a few hours ago," I said.

"Great and I'm guessing you have no idea where he is now?" Botan asked.

"Correct," I said.

"Well how did you find him before?" Kurama asked.

"I didn't find him. He found me in the middle of getting my ass kicked," I said. "I went to see Keiko after that."

"Well this is just perfect. We've only got two hours to find Hiei and bring him here so we can save Yusuke," Botan said.

"Well what are we supposed to do now? It's going to be impossible to search for him in this whole city in that time. Besides, you know as well as I do that if he doesn't want to be found he won't be," I said.

"True. Stealth is his niche," Kurama said.

"Oh! I've got a brilliant idea! We could use the Spirit items!" Botan said.

"That's not a bad idea. There's loads of useful stuff in that kit," I said.

"Well, they're in my pink kimono back in Spirit World and we all know I don't wear that thing anymore," she said materializing here oar. "I'll be back with it in one hour and then the search can begin!"

Botan flew off leaving us standing there.

"I think Botan's lost it a little" Kuwabara said.

"You're hardly the standard for wild outbursts," Kurama said.

I sighed.

"Now, Kairi, might you explain to me why you disappeared after school and why no one could find and why you decided not to call if you were with Keiko, and what are you covered in bruises and cuts for? We all thought something had happened to you and we were right. My mother has been calling me asking when you were getting home and I had to lie and say that you were fine and with me. You made me lie to my mother," Kurama said.

"You are in a perpetual state of lying to your mother," I said.

"That's different. I lied to her about your wellbeing and I was wrong. What is she going to think when you show up at home like this? And then she's going to call Aunt Chichi and then she's going to come and murder me," Kurama said. "Trunks was supposed to come and pick you up after school so you didn't get into any trouble. Why did you tell him not to come? What were you doing?"

"Well, Botan sent me to meet someone after school, which is a whole story in itself, so I told Trunks not to come because it was right in Karakura Town. But then Keiko called and invited me over so I left his house to walk there," I said.

"And at no point did it ever occur to you to pick up the phone 'Hey, Kurama, just letting you know that I'm disregarding all of the safety precautions you and my father put in place to pop round and visit Keiko because I'm a moron and I never do what I'm told?'" Kurama asked.

"Okay, did you take extra bitch pills with your vitamins this morning?" I asked.

"Maybe if you would listen better we wouldn't be having this conversation," Kurama said. "Go on and explain."

"So, I was walking to Keiko's house and it was about to rain again so I took a short cut though some alleyway which was a bad idea in retrospect, I don't need the lecture," I went on. "Anyway, I ran into these pervy boys from Denison. Not only were they unable to keep it in their pants but-."

"They've got beef with me and Urameshi," Kuwabara said.

"Right, and since I'm currently unable to use my energy so that I don't accidentally kill any stupid thugs on the street, I ended up trying to run away and I got my ass kicked. There were like 10 of them so they successfully ganged up on me—threw me into a wall, toss me on the ground, kick me in the stomach and the face. It was bad. And it was going to get a lot worse if you know what I mean," I said. "A beating was actually the least of my worries at the time."

At this Kurama let out a groan, massaging the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"But then Hiei showed up," I said.

Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged glances and then looked back at me.

"He just showed up?" Kurama asked. I nodded. "Just out of the blue?"

"Yep," I said.

"And then what happened?" Kurama asked, already tired of hearing the story of me causing him trouble.

"Well, at first their leader blew him off because you know Hiei, he's short and has weird hair and wears a cloak. No one would take him seriously," I said. "But then the guy moves in to bitch slap me and Hiei threatened to cut his arm off before he could. Then they all ran away like scared little babies."

"And then he left?" Kuwabara asked.

"Well, he made fun of me first because, you know, kicking people while they're down is a recreational sport for Hiei," I said. "Then Keiko called in a panic because obviously you all had called her and told her I was missing so I ran there."

Kuwabara and Kurama exchanged glances again, this time there was a slight smirk on their faces.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Awful convenient for Hiei to just come dashing to your rescue like that," Kurama said.

"Agreed," I said.

"Are you sure he wasn't just following you?" Kuwabara asked.

"Why would he be following me?" I asked.

"Because you can't use your energy and you're completely defenseless," Kurama said. "Maybe he wanted to keep an eye on you and make sure you were safe."

"Why would he do that?" I asked.

"Why indeed," Kurama said.

I let out a sigh. "You can't seriously think-."

"That he likes you? Yes," Kurama said.

Truthfully, I wasn't in denial about the fact that I liked Hiei, although I'd never say it out loud to my friends. But as far Hiei was concerned I couldn't be sure of that. He was Hiei after all. I couldn't be sure if he was just playing mind games with me or if he actually liked me or maybe he just wasn't opposed to the idea of a random girl deciding she wanted to kiss him every once in a while—some people were like that. But Hiei was such a tough nut to crack that I still found the idea to be slightly inconceivable, even though Kuwabara had now joined the ranks of people who thought this way.

Was I just being dense? Did Hiei like me? Was he actually following me around to make sure I got where I needed to get safely?

"Whatever," I said, dismissively.

"Oh, come on, Kairi. It's so obvious," Kuwabara said. "We all think so."

"All?" I asked.

"Yes. Kuwabara, Yusuke, and I all agree," Kurama said.

"What? Did you guys have a meeting or something?" I asked.

"Not really. We just kind of realized that during the tournament you and Hiei spent an awful lot of time together and he didn't really like the rest of us," Kuwabara said. "I thought it was maybe because you were a girl and he was just being soft because of you."

"But then I pointed out that Hiei was pretty indifferent to the rest of the girls as well," Kurama said.

"I wasn't really sure. Kurama and Urameshi seemed to really think so though," Kuwabara said.

"And what changed your mind?" I asked.

"Trunks," they said again in unison.

"He really hates Trunks, I think more than me," Kuwabara said.

"Yeah, you might be right about that," I said.

"But that doesn't make sense! I mean I know he's kind of a square, but Hiei didn't even know him and was ready to chop his head off," Kuwabara said. "I think he's totally jealous."

"That's crazy," I said.

Actually, it wasn't so crazy. Everything they were saying made perfect sense, especially considering what had happened in the locker room, and also a few hours ago. They were so right.

"Now, now, calm down you two. The issue isn't that serious after all," Kurama said. "Hiei's obvious feelings for you are irrelevant after all if they're one sided. And they are, _aren't_ they?"

"What? Of course they're one sided. Pssh. Like I'd like Hiei. That's just insane. Totally impossible," I said.

"Oh, Kairi, still lying to yourself I see," Kurama said with a pitiful shake of his head.

"Yeah, I think so too actually," Kuwabara said shaking his head as if he were ashamed of me.

"No, I don't! Why do you keep saying that? You know it's not true!" I said.

"I already told you once before that I do _know_ that it's true. Shall I again reference your so called 'relationship' with Trunks again?" he asked.

"Oh, that's right! Trunks is supposed to be your boyfriend now isn't he?" Kuwabara asked.

"He's not my boyfriend exactly," I said.

"Because you don't have feelings for him. You have feelings for Hiei," Kurama said.

I glared at him, trying to think of an acceptable answer, but I paused for three seconds too long and Kurama and Kuwabara had taken my pause as an admission.

"Kairi I can't believe you like Hiei! That's so weird!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

"Yes, Kairi's taste is quite odd isn't it," Kurama agreed.

I sighed. This was the reason I hadn't told anyone about Hiei. For starters, I felt like it didn't matter very much and secondly my friends were a bunch of moronic boys who would do nothing but relentlessly tease me about it.

Time to put a stop to this nonsense.

"First of all, Kuwabara, you're in love with a girl who reproduces asexually," I said. "And Kurama, I've done some looking into your past and I wouldn't be surprised if you had an entire herd of illegitimate children running around somewhere in Demon World you enormous slut."

Kurama and Kuwabara both glared at me for a moment.

"That was uncalled for," Kurama said. "I'm sure it's not a herd. The point is we were right. You were very obvious about liking Hiei and you're an emotional terrorist for leading Trunks on."

"I'm not leading Trunks on. I do like him," I said.

"But you just admitted that you like Hiei!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

"I'm a 15-year-old girl. You can't even begin to fathom how many people I can like at one time," I said.

"So you're saying that you like both Hiei _and _Trunks?" Kurama asked. I nodded. "Your brain is a dangerous place to be."

I shrugged. "So I've been told."

888

Botan returned at nearly 10 o'clock just as she said she would, still clad in the Sariyaski school uniform, carrying a silver brief case.

"Tah-dah! Just in time to save the day!" she said.

"Good, now let's find Hiei," I said. "So what've we got in here that could help."

"Kairi, these tools were created to help you on your missions. You should know them all and how they work," she said.

I shook my head. "I never used that stuff. I never had the need or desire."

"But Kairi, you said the Spirit Detective Items were nifty," Botan said with a frown.

"They are nifty, but that doesn't mean I wanted to ever use them. I didn't need to," I said.

"You never know when they could come in handy," Botan said.

"You want me to walk around wearing a scouter too?" I asked.

Botan sighed opening the briefcase. "You and Yusuke are both completely hopeless."

"That's why we are ideal partners," I said.

"Now, let's see. . . Ah, yes! This is what Yusuke used to track Hiei the first time, the demon compass! It can lock onto Hiei's specific energy pattern," Botan said.

"But couldn't Hiei just change his energy pattern to confuse us?" Kurama asked.

"Ah. . . Yes, but with this modification I made," Botan said pressing a button, the lid flipped up, "there's a special chamber in here. All we need is a piece of his hair something and then he won't be able to fool us."

"Sadly, I don't carry lockets of my friend's hair around with me," Kurama said.

Botan's face fell and she went back to the suitcase.

"The psychic spy glass! We can use this baby too see through walls and buildings to find him!" Botan said.

"You expect us to be able to search the entire city in one hour?" Kurama asked.

Botan was even more discouraged now as she returned the briefcase.

"The concentration ring! Forget about seeing through walls! With this we can just blow them up all together!" she said.

We all stared at each other before letting out a sigh. This was getting us nowhere.

"It's too bad Hiei isn't here," Kuwabara said.

"Yes, he could use his Jagan eye to find himself," Botan said.

Kurama and I exchanged glances.

"Logic is panic's prey," Kurama said.

"Oh, Kairi! Why didn't we think of it before?" Botan said. "Can't you use your psychic abilities to find Hiei?"

"Yeah! That's right! You can do all the same stuff he can but without the weird eye right?" Kuwabara said.

"Well technically yes, but Hiei's Jagan is much more powerful than anything I can do. I'm not going to be able to search at the speed or on the same scale he'd be able to," I said.

"What do you mean by that?" Kuwabara asked.

"Let's just say that Hiei would be able to take a large area and be able to look at it as if he were omnipresent because he'd be able to see almost everything. What I'd be doing would be closer to astral projection and we may as well go searching on foot if that's the case," I said.

"Oh, darn," Botan said.

"If I might suggest, do you have anything that could bring Hiei here to us, Botan?" Kurama asked.

"Oh, come on, Kurama. Botan would've told us if she had something like that," Kuwabara said.

"I do!" Botan said returning to the briefcase. "The apparition whistle! Blowing on this will send out a signal that he'll be able to hear. I can make it go at least 60 miles. You'll want to cover your ears though. It makes a terrible noise."

"Let's give it a whirl," I said.

Botan put her lips to the whistle and blew as hard as she could. The sound that erupted from it was high pitched and awful. I covered my ears to quiet it, but that didn't help.

"It penetrates my brain," Kurama said.

Botan slowly stopped blowing the whistle and my eardrums were relieved of the sound.

"And now we'll see if he shows up," Botan said.

At that moment, Hiei came falling head first from the tree next to us landing face first on the ground. Kuwabara and I restrained a laugh as he composed himself.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," I said to him as he sat on the ground. He glared up at me.

"What wretched creature makes my eardrums bleed?" he asked.

"We're glad you actually showed up, Hiei," Botan said.

"I didn't come here looking for you. I came to find the source of the dreadful noise and kill it," Hiei said, getting to his feet. "What do you want?"

"A new problem has arisen," I said handing him the letter from Yusuke's kidnappers.

"Getting into more trouble already, Detective? I already told you, I'm not interested in babysitting," he said.

"It's not me. It's my stupid ass partner, Yusuke," I said.

Hiei read the letter over and chuckled.

"So Urameshi's gone and gotten himself kidnapped has he?" Hiei asked.

"Looks that way," I said.

"Good luck with that," Hiei said.

"What? You're just going to leave us?" Botan asked.

"I don't think this is really my problem," Hiei said.

"Of course it's your problem. Your name is in this letter just like the rest of ours. We can't save him without you," I said. This was just like Hiei, always turning into a jackass whenever he felt it convenient.

"Come on, Hiei. The kidnappers must be quite powerful to have been able to overpower Yusuke. Aren't you curious at all to see what challenge they may pose," Kurama said.

Yes. This would work. Playing into Hiei's ego and desire to be the very best always worked.

Hiei seemed to think for a moment, but then he shook his head.

"Nope. You almost had me there for a moment, but no," Hiei said.

_Damn_.

"But they're humans. This is not normal," I said.

Hiei thought for another moment but still remained unconvinced. He turned away from us, prepared to leave. "I don't care."

This was bad, even Kurama looked like he was out of ideas. I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind.

"I'll tell Koenma to let you off of your leash," I said.

"What?" Kuwabara and Botan exclaimed.

Hiei turned around to me.

"I'm listening," he said.

I sighed. "I know you're still stuck here in this city even though your record was wiped clean and all that, so I'll tell Koenma to let you go free of the city limits if you help us."

The last thing we needed was Hiei disappearing on us if something bad happened, but we had less than an hour to find Yusuke and save his life, and if letting Hiei go was the only way we were going to be able to save him, then I was prepared to make that sacrifice. Besides, when it came down to it, Hiei always showed up when we really, truly needed him. He wouldn't abandon us completely just because he got his freedom.

"And you actually think that brat would agree to that?" Hiei asked.

"No! Koenma would never agree to do something like that!" Botan said.

"If he doesn't, I'll go over his head, right to King Kai if I have to," I said.

This was a complete abuse of power and I was taking a very big risk. Hiei was still contemplating the deal.

"Can you acknowledge that I'm willing to make _a lot_ of people hate me just so we can save Yusuke's life and say yes already, please?" I asked.

Hiei smirked. "All right, Detective. You've got yourself a deal."


	6. My Territory is So Hot

_[A⁄N: Greetings! I hope weekly updates sound good because that's what you're getting! Huzzah for having a surplus of chapters prewritten. You guys deserve better than how I treated you last series.]_

As we walked to our destination, I found myself in a state of utter disbelief that I had told Hiei that he could just leave. In an act of desperation I just up and decided that it would be okay to let him leave knowing that he'd run far, far away from us and never see us again.

_I'd_ never see him again. That thought actually made me feel a little queasy. A few hours ago I'd been making out with him and after whatever shenanigans we were getting into today he was probably just going to vanish. I was a moron and Koenma was going to kill me.

We reached the House of Four Dimensions. It was a wonky shaped house that twisted and turned and sent chills down my spine. It was creepy and somewhere inside of it, Yusuke was being held hostage.

"We're going in there?" Kuwabara asked.

"That would appear to be the case," Kurama said.

We walked up onto the porch and prepared to go inside, but there was a note on the door.

I pulled it off and read it.

"All who enter there's taboo, a word you say not, you'll lose your soul if you say, the three letter word: HOT," I said. "That sounds ridiculously sketchy, if you ignore the third grade rhyming skills."

"So you mean we can't say hot?" Kuwabara asked.

"Well that's what it says," Botan said.

"And this last bit about your soul is less than settling," I said.

"Agreed. We'll have to be on our guard. And to be careful, we should avoid saying the word 'hot' just in case," Kurama said.

He reached over and opened the door. The room was dark when we walked inside, but it was stuffy and warm.

"Goodness," Botan started, "it's so-."

Kurama clapped his hand over her mouth.

"Remember the word we're not supposed to say," Kurama reminded her.

"Oh, right," Botan said.

Suddenly I felt a very strange energy overtake the room.

"Did you guys feel that?" I asked.

"What was it?" Hiei asked.

"I don't know," Kurama said.

"Ah, at last, a question the great Suichi doesn't know the answer to," a voice said in the darkness.

The lights came on, blinding us momentarily before we could see. The room was filled with plants and at the other end there was a boy in a Karakura High uniform sitting in a chair in front of a door.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Aw, but you don't know? How sad, Kairi," the boy said. "You should teach your cousin some manners."

"I'm sorry. Do you know me?" I asked.

"I'm sure he knows of you, but he thinks too much of your memory if he thinks you'll remember him," Kurama said. "He goes to our school."

"Ah, I should've gotten that from the uniform," I said. "Look, dude, I've only been at school for one day. I barely remember any of my teachers. I'm not going to remember who you are."

"He's a classmate of mine. His name is Yuu Kaito. I've never spoken to him personally, but he's well known at our school. He's second in my class," Kurama said.

"Ah, second only to you I'd bet," I said.

"Nothing gets past you," Kurama said rolling his eyes.

"He's one of the guys who came to fight Urameshi before," Kuwabara said.

"Yes, me and my two companions were responsible for taking your friend, Urameshi," Kaito said.

"And how did you manage something like that?" Kurama asked.

Kaito laughed. "And with that, Suichi, I'd like to welcome you to my territory."

"Territory?" Kuwabara asked.

"I heard you can all do really nifty things with your energy," Kaito said. "Isn't that how you won the Dark Tournament?"

"And what would you know about that?" Hiei asked.

"Only what I was told," Kaito said. "Imagine my surprise when I learned that my greatest adversary can do the most curious thing with plants."

"How about you stop breaking our balls and just tell us what you did with our friend," I said.

"Yusuke Urameshi is here, just like we said he would be, and he's safe, for now," Kaito said. He motioned behind him. "He's through that door."

Then a boy came out of the door. He was tall with a head of tall, lavender hair atop his head. He held a key and dropped it into his jacket pocket.

"I have a key and beyond it there's another door and Yanna has that key," Kaito said. "You'll find your friend through them."

"And how do we know we can trust you?" Kurama asked.

"I can assure you, he's quite safe. If you want him back you just have to pass a little test is all," Kaito said.

"And I'm assuming that this little test of yours has something to do with your 'territory' or whatever?" I asked.

"How very sharp of you, Detective," Kaito said.

"Just tell us what's going on already before I break your face in," Kuwabara said.

Kaito sat up straight in his chair and smiled.

"Well, as it happens, I recently discovered that I have some very interesting abilities," Kaito said. "I can create my own reality. Whatever I imagine in my head, I can bring to life."

". . . So your taboo word. You're saying that everything you wrote on that note outside the door was true? That just because you decided to taboo that word if we say it we forfeit our souls?" I asked.

"Correct," Kaito said. "Whatever I say goes in my territory. I possess the power of taboo. But that is not the only thing I've tabooed here. I've also tabooed violence so I'd keep those little outbursts of yours under control from now on. Yes, in this place we will only do battles of the mind."

"Oh, come on! What are you talking about?" Kuwabara exclaimed.

Kaito shook his head. "It must be so difficult, Suichi, not even being able to carry a slightly intelligent conversation with your friends."

"Enough games. Tell us where Yusuke is," Kurama said.

"Yes, tell us where the detective is now. I'm starting to lose my patience," Hiei said.

"I'd relax if I were you. There's no violence in my territory after all," Kaito said.

"And I think you're bluffing," Hiei said.

"All right then, Hiei. If you are so confident that I am a liar, why don't you come over here and prove it," Kaito suggested.

"Gladly," Hiei said. He unsheathed his sword and went to attack Kaito who sat in his chair unmoving. Hiei brought his sword down, but a barrier appeared around him, snapping Hiei's sword into pieces.

Kaito laughed at a peeved Hiei. "See, you're nothing more than a bully with a sword. If I take that from you, what do you have left?"

"We can't really afford for you to go around being your usual arrogant self _if_ you don't mind," I said. "I've got a really bad feeling about all of this and being an imbecile is not going to help us any."

Hiei scoffed at me. "I'm not just going to stand here and play his mind games."

I shook my head. "No. You see, Hiei, this is where you and I keep running into problems. I tell you I have a bad feeling and the next thing you know you, me, and Kurama are getting attacked by androids and bad science experiments in the forest. Let's stop and think about this for a minute. If he proved that violence was taboo the logical conclusion we can draw from that is that he is probably not playing mind games with us and can actually take our souls."

"No three letter word can rule my fate," Hiei said. I rolled my eyes. "HOT."

It only took a second before a blue aura overtook Hiei's body. He went stiff and fell over and his soul glowing in a small yellow orb floated up from his body and over to Kaito. Botan and I stood Hiei on his feet and he was cold beneath my fingers.

I shook my head.

"I warned him, didn't I? Can't say my taboo or you'll lose your soul. That's just the way of it," Kaito said.

"Well how do we get him back to normal?" I asked.

Kaito shrugged. "Maybe I'll give him his soul back if you play nicely."

I looked over to Kurama who nodded in confirmation.

"All right, Kaito, you win. We'll play your game. No violence. No taboo word," Kurama said.

We all sat down and stared across at Kaito.

"I have a question if you don't mind answering," I said.

"Certainly not," Kaito said.

"Are you bound by the rules of your territory too? Like, can you not say your own taboo word?" I asked.

"How observant of you, Kairi. Yes, in my territory I must follow the same rules allotted to everyone else," he said. "You're much more intelligent than your reputation would lead everyone to believe. Now can I ask you a question?"

"I guess," I said.

"How is it that you came to be at our school? Usually they keep the hooligans in West City," Kaito said.

I rolled my eyes. "I got into a fight with some stupid girl. They got tired of me getting into fights so they kicked me out."

"And I see that despite getting kicked out of one of the worst schools in the area and being moved into a better one you still haven't learned your lesson," Kaito said.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a dick?" I asked.

"That's quite enough, Kaito," Kurama said. "I don't think now is the proper time to be attacking Kairi's character."

"Aside from being a total jerk, what do you know about this guy?" Kuwabara asked.

"As I said before, he's one of my classmates, the second highest ranking. He's well recognized at school because his IQ ranks in the genius level," Kurama said.

"Oh, Suichi you have quite a way of bragging," Kaito said. "You make me out to be a prince; that must make you the king or have you forgotten how much better you are than me?"

"Statistically, yes my grades are better, but in certain subjects such as language arts you far surpass me and have even published essays on literary theory," Kurama said.

"So he's just some kind of writer genius, huh?" Kuwabara asked. "I bet we're cooler than anything you've ever read in a book."

Kaito shrugged. "Not really."

"Oh it's so obvious what you're trying to do—keeping us trapped in this stupid room so we say your little word," Kuwabara said. "It's gotta be like a hundred degrees in here."

"It's 85 actually, with 80 percent humidity. I like to keep it like this to grow tropical plants. Think of it as a tribute to you, Suichi," Kaito said.

"Careful, Kaito, your man crush is showing," I said.

"If the heat is getting to you," Kaito said leering at me very briefly, "I have some drinks in the fridge. I even have glasses."

"It's probably poisoned or something," Kuwabara said getting up and approaching the small refrigerator.

"Why do you constantly think people are trying to poison you?" I asked him. "People always have more creative ways of trying to kill us."

"Yeah, whatever, Kairi," Kuwabara said.

"Here, Kuwabara, let me get that for you. I need to do something with my hands," Botan said getting to her feet and joining him. She looked through the fridge and then perked up a bit. "Oh, there's OJ. It's better for you than soda."

"I don't care. Just put it in a glass and pour it over ice and we can share with each other," Kuwabara said.

"Your confidence in my health is charming," Botan said.

And that's when it happened. The same thing that had happened to Hiei also befell Kuwabara, to everyone's shock.

"That's no fair! He didn't even say hot!" Botan said.

I face paled myself.

"Botan!" Kurama scolded her.

"I goofed," she said, and then she too lost her soul.

"What the hell just happened? Is your orange juice tabooed too?" I asked.

"He spelled it," Kurama said. "Kuwabara spelled the word. He said 'share with each'. . ."

I thought back to it. _Share with each other? Each other? E-a-c-h-o-t. . ._

"In my territory even spelling is off limits," Kaito said holding the three souls in his hand.

"It doesn't make you clever or better to trick people when they don't know the full extent of your powers. It just makes you a dishonest person," I said.

"An intelligent person like your cousin here would've deduced every possible scenario a while ago," Kaito said. "I can't believe it was so easy."

I looked over to Kurama. I was starting to feel anxious.

_"I know you don't like it when I'm in your head, but I'm totally freaked out right now,"_ I said to him telepathically.

_"Don't panic. I've worked out a plan, but to avoid anymore casualties I need you to speak as little as possible so that you don't lose your soul as well,"_ Kurama replied.

I trusted Kurama to get us all out of this dangerous situation. Now I just had to wait.

"Souls are so beautiful. I like the girls the most. Souls are the only you can't make stronger by training. . . You can only make them darker. Tell me you two, should I darken mine right by crushing these? It's strange having this power over people. You two must feel it all the time. Maybe I should. . . just a little scratch." Kaito said.

"Don't do it Kaito. You so much as bruise what's in your hands and I'll show you pain. The hue of your soul will cease to matter because you will not be judged or die. You will simply cease to exist," Kurama said.

"Very nice, Suichi. You'll have to teach me to talk like that after I beat you," Kaito said.

"Speaking of it, is it possible to change your taboo?" Kurama asked. "Naturally none of us is going to speak the word, thus we are in a stalemate."

"Yes of course. I'd like to defeat my greatest opponent with more than a simple word gag and obviously your cousin is intelligent enough to know when to keep her nose out of trouble. What do you suggest Suichi?" Kaito asked.

"It will take 45 minutes to complete the game. There are 26 letters in the alphabet. Starting at the letter Z, we will taboo a letter every 104-seconds until there are none left. What say you?" Kurama asked.

"All right, what if you don't beat me in the 45 minutes time limit?" Kaito asked.

"Then you may have our souls," Kurama said. I nodded in agreement. Our souls was a hefty wager, but we'd be in no deeper shit than we were now. Kaito looked at the clock. 12:45 A.M.

"Let's start neatly at one shall we?" Kaito said. Kurama nodded.

Kaito took a sheet of paper and started writing out the rules.

"A quick drink, Kairi?" Kurama said, grabbing my hand and pulling me over to the little fridge.

I opened it and looked around inside and pulled out a bottle of water.

"What are you planning?" I asked.

"You don't need to worry about that," Kurama said. "I just wanted to speak to you privately for a moment." I nodded. "I will need your assistance with something though."

"What is it?" I asked.

"That boy has the key," Kurama said. "We're stuck here because we can't forcibly obtain it from him. But, as I recall, you're able to telepathically persuade people into doing things."

"Only small things," I said. "I shouldn't have any trouble convincing him to give me a key." Kurama shook his head.

"Whatever you do, you must do it without Kaito realizing it," Kurama said. "And lastly, don't talk, don't sneeze, don't even make a noise. The game will only become more challenging as we go down the line. All right?"

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," I said.

"Don't I always?" he asked.

"Yes, but for once I'd like you to know what you're doing without lying half-dead on the floor in a pool of your own blood," I said.

Kurama chuckled. "No risk of that today."

888

_All who enter, host and guest, don't utter a letter crossed off from the list._

_Speak and letter and you shall pay with your soul._

I watched the clock as the seconds ticked down toward the start of the game. When the clock struck one a.m., the game began.

"Better get out any Z words. Zealous zebra's and crazy zinc zippers," Kaito laughed. We had barely begun the game and already he was proved to be just as deranged as the rest of the people Kurama did battle with.

104 seconds later a red X appeared over the letter Z. It was now taboo.

"Now Y. Why, oh, why do we lose the letter Y? What if we need to cry? As you can see I am quite enjoying this game," Kaito said.

"Careful Kaito. Wouldn't want to make a mistake and slip." Kurama said.

So that ended Kaito's zealous letter comments. Y was crossed from the list. Then X, W, and finally V.

"At last a challenge. So much I used those last letters." Kaito said.

"Losing S, T, and U shall be a greater obstacle." Kurama said.

It was an obstacle indeed. Kurama had made me promise to do my best not to make a noise and as more letters dropped from the list the thought of speaking terrified me into silence.

Kaito got up from his seat.

"Going off?" Kurama asked.

"Need a john," Kaito replied. He walked of and went into the bathroom.

I looked to Kurama who nodded. A signal for me to get the key from the boy by the door as the letter R was crossed from the list.

I didn't really like to influence people's thoughts, but considering they were holding Yusuke hostage I made an exception. I looked over to him and stared him down hard. He noticed I was looking at and stared back.

_"You're tired, boy," _I told him. _"You're very tired. You've been standing up all day. You haven't slept. You haven't eaten. It's nearly two in the morning. What are you doing awake? Rest. Sleep. Your body is tired and need sleep."_

The boy's head hung down as he dozed off, but he lifted his head and shook it away.

_"Don't fight it. Sleep. You'll be fine. Sleep,"_ I said.

Slowly the boy hung he head and fell asleep, falling over onto the floor as he did. I looked over to Kurama and gave him a wink. I levitated the key out of the boy's pocket and brought it over to my hand.

I handed the key over to Kurama who seemed quite impressed with my work.

I took a glance around the room and saw that the many plants Kaito had sitting around were beginning to grow quite wild and turn the room into the forest. I looked over at Kurama, completely confused. This time he winked at me and got to his feet.

He pointed o himself and then up at the chandelier above our heads.

What? He was going to climb up there? I nodded to show that I understood. Then he pointed to me and then brought his fingers to his lips. I needed to stay here and be quiet. I nodded again. Then he pointed to himself again and motioned downward from the chandelier. He was going to come back down. Then to me again and this time he covered his eyes.

I pointed to myself and then covered my eyes. Kurama nodded.

I didn't know what he was up to but I would oblige. He was going to climb onto the chandelier and I was to remain here and quiet. When he came back down I was to cover my eyes.

This was one of those situations where I just had to trust Kurama to not be crazy.

The forest around us was growing wilder and wilder and Kurama climbed up into the chandelier, completely hidden.

I sat in my seat and waited patiently as letter after letter was removed from the list.

Soon, with 8 letters to go, Kaito showed back up. He looked frantic. He looked at me and then looked around for Kurama.

He didn't sit back down, he just stared at me, as if he were waiting for me to make a mistake and slip up.

Finally, with only A and B left Kurama hung down from the chandelier right behind Kaito's head and dangled there. I rested my head against the back of my chair and closed my eyes to give the impression that I was tired.

"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I heard Kurama wail. The noise startled me a bit and I was curious to see what he was up to exactly, but I followed his directions.

Then there was silence. Nothing but dead silence. My heart was pounding in my ears. There wasn't much time left.

That's when I heard a snort and then a full blown laugh. Kaito was laughing. I heard Kurama jumped down to the floor with a thud and I opened my eyes.

"NOOO!" Kaito shouted before his soul popped out of his body and he fell over onto the floor. The energy in the room changed and I knew that Kaito's territory was gone.


	7. Guess Who

_[A⁄N: I know I said weekly updates, but I've been so stressed with school the past few days that I wanted to do something to cheer me up and so you got an update! Don't forget to review!] _

Hiei, Botan, and Kuwabara came around quickly after Kaito was dispatched.

"What did you do to get him to laugh?" I asked Kurama.

"That is a secret dear cousin," Kurama said.

"Well, whatever you did to get him he totally deserved it," Kuwabara said. Then he turned and glared at Hiei. "No thanks to you, Hiei! Going and getting us all in trouble like that."

"Yeah, it's like now that Yusuke's gotten kidnapped you've decided to become the moron of the group," I said.

"No matter. We should just keep on moving. We have to get Yusuke back after all," Botan said.

"What about him?" I asked motioning to Kaito.

"There's nothing I can do for him. We'll have to leave him there," Kurama said. He reached into Kaito's pocket and took his key.

We unlocked the first door and peered cautiously into the hallway. When we decided that it was safe we ventured on further until we came to the second door. On this one was another note.

"It says we can't go through the next door without Yanna's permission," I said.

"Yanna?" Botan asked.

"The boy with the purple hair," I said. "Looks like we'll have to go wake him up."

"If you couldn't use violence, how did you get him out anyway?" Kuwabara asked.

"I used my telepathic influence to put him to sleep," I said.

"I thought you didn't like controlling people," Hiei said.

"I don't, but I had to save your ass didn't I?" I asked as we walked back through the first door. Yanna was still asleep on the floor. I knelt down beside him and started shaking him. "Hey, broom head wake the hell up."

Slowly Yanna began to stir and sat up, yawning.

"Hello, sir," I said getting to my feet.

"You . . . You were in my head," he said.

"Yeah, sorry about that, but you did kidnap my friend and all," I said. "Speaking of which, we found a note saying that we couldn't go any further without your permission or you would kill him."

"And why should I help you?" he asked.

"Because Kaito isn't here to protect you anymore," I said with a smile.

Yanna frowned and climbed to his feet.

"Come on," he said. We followed him back through the hallway and to the third door. He pushed the door open and we came into a room with five separate stairwells.

"Oh, what is it now?" Botan asked.

"You all have to take a different stairway up to you friend Urameshi," Yanna said.

"This night just keeps getting sketchier and sketchier," I said. "How are we supposed to trust you?"

Yanna shrugged. "Those are the rules."

"Well, I've got a brilliant idea!" Botan pulling out the case with the Spirit Detective items. "I know just the tool we can use for this! The Miguru Seals!"

"Ah! Good idea! Those are the seals that can only be taken off by the person who put them on," I said.

"Exactly right," Botan said.

"And they change color as well. Blue indicates that the person who put it on you is perfectly fine. Red is injured. Orange is severely injured and if it falls off it means they're dead," I said. "We can all write our names on them and stick them on each other that we know we're all okay. Good idea, Botan. You're just pulling out all kinds of nifty shit today."

"Yes, that's what I'm here for, to supply you with 'nifty shit' as needed," Botan said handing us each of us four Miguru Seals.

We wrote our names and exchanged seals. I'd put one everyone except for Hiei who by the end of the exchange had none on.

"Come on, Hiei, put them on," Botan said.

"I don't need them," he said.

"So you don't care if something bad happens to us?" I asked.

"Not particularly," Hiei said.

I sighed. "All right, everyone, he's resisting."

Kurama grabbed Hiei while Kuwabara, Botan, and I stuck our seals on him. Kurama then released him and put his seal on him as well.

Hiei glared at me. "I hate you," he said.

"No you don't," I replied with a wink.

We each stood in front of a staircase.

"See you guys on the other side," I said.

I stared up my stairs and kept walking up and up. I felt like I was walking for a really long time when I noticed something odd. The room suddenly looked like the walls were spinning. My feet became more and more unsteady as I walked, becoming dizzier and dizzier. I grabbed onto the railing of the stairs and closed my eyes. I had to think. This had to just be an illusion. The room wasn't actually spinning after all.

I knelt down to my hands and knees and started crawling forward. As long as I looked at the floor I wouldn't get dizzy and throw up from looking at the walls. It was just like a fun house, except crawling wouldn't be tolerated.

I felt myself reach the door and slowly climbed to my feet. I walked through the door, Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Botan were standing there, lined up across from Yusuke who was, for some reason, standing in awkward position in front of a flood light where a pale haired boy stood with him looking smug.

"It's about time you got here," Yusuke said.

"You're doing an awful lot of complaining for someone who got kidnapped and got the rest of us into trouble," I said. "Good timing by the way. I tell you to take care of things and this is what you do instead. Excellent."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch," Yusuke teased. "That's what you sound like."

"Make fun all you want, but if that's the guy who kidnapped you along with those two idiots from downstairs then I am officially ashamed to know you," I said.

"You're just now ashamed?" Hiei asked.

"Fuck both of you guys," Yusuke said. "Besides, Kairi, it looks like you got your ass kicked pretty good."

"I can't use my energy fucktard and it was your fault anyway. Their beef was with you," I said.

"Enough talk," the boy said. "Let's get down to business, Urameshi. One of your friends is not what they appear to be."

"Who? Is it Kairi? She either took bitch pills this morning or she's on her period today," Yusuke said.

"Eat a dick, Yusuke," I said.

"One of your friends is actually an imposter. Yanna has the ability to copy people exactly. We have your actual friend and if you don't deduce who it is in the next five minutes, we'll kill them," the boy said.

I rolled my eyes.

The boy stepped off Yusuke's shadow and Yusuke stumbled forward.

"Wait, you can paralyze people by stepping in their shadow? That's pretty spectacular," I said.

"Kairi, let's stop complimenting people who have kidnapped our friend," Botan said.

"Right. Sorry," I said.

"Enough chatter. Get to it, Urameshi," the boy said.

"All, right, Kuwabara, how many times have I kicked your ass?" Yusuke asked.

"Don't be a jerk, Urameshi!" Kuwabara complained in his typical fashion.

"Too many to count then?" Hiei asked.

"Okay, Hiei, since you're in a hilarious mood today, what's your sister's name?" Yusuke asked.

"Hiei's got a sister?" Kuwabara asked. "I'll bet she's short and ugly and a real pain in the you know what just like you."

"Quite the contrary," Kurama said.

"Wait? You know her?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes," Botan said.

"Wait—so you guys all know her expect for me?" Kuwabara asked.

"Afraid so, buddy," I said.

"Well, who is she?"Kuwabara asked.

"We can discuss it later," Kurama said.

"Right. Kurama, tell me about your mother," Yusuke said.

"Her name is Shiori Minamino, she's Kairi's mother's younger sister and she's getting married in a few months," Kurama said.

"All, right, Congratulations. Am I invited to the wedding?" Yusuke said.

"Oh, Yusuke, we don't have time for this," Botan said.

"Okay, Botan. What's your bra size?" Yusuke asked.

"You perv! I never told you any such thing!" Botan scolded him.

"You did, on the roof that one day," Yusuke said.

Botan paused and thought back for a moment before shaking her head. "You liar! I never did!"

Yusuke laughed. "Damn, I Really thought that might work."

"Yusuke, stop dicking around," I said.

"Fine, Kairi, how about I ask you a question," he said.

"Mention my underwear and you're a dead man," I said.

Yusuke laughed. "What's your boyfriend's name?"

I frowned. "I don't have one."

"Still? Hasn't it been almost two months since you guys started openly fooling around?" Yusuke asked.

"Wait, are you talking about Trunks?" I asked. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Well, why not? You're just playing games with his heart like some asshole emotional terrorist," Yusuke said.

"Emotional. . . Have you three been talking about me behind my back?" I asked looking to Kurama and Kuwabara.

"Yes. All of the time," Yusuke said.

"You bitches," I said. "And I am not emotional terrorist."

"Oh! I've just gotten an idea before we have any fallings out," Botan said, bring us back on topic. "The Miguru seals!"

"Oh, you're right," I said.

"Those are the things where only the person who put it on you can take it off?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, glad you were paying attention in Spirit Detective class," I said. "Gather 'round ladies and gents." We each reached out and grabbed hold of one of the seals and pulled them off each other nice and smooth.

"You're bluffing," Hiei said.

"Yes. The Miguru seals use your energy print to keep track of the owner and it's unique to everyone just like a finger print," Botan said.

"Yanna's copies are perfect, right down to this so called energy print," the boy said.

"Mother fuck. I was actually sure that was going to work," I said.

"Tick tock, Urameshi," the boy said. "Time's almost up."

"I have complete faith in your abilities, Yusuke," I said.

Yusuke took a deep breath.

Yusuke made a fist and ran at Kuwabara, knocking him right in the jaw. He flew to the other side of the room and landed, unconscious, no longer Kuwabara, but Yanna.

"All right, Yusuke!" I cheered. "How'd you figure it out?"

"Well, I figured Kurama and Hiei had to be too smart and untrusting to just walk into a trap," Yusuke said.

"Yes, or scream the word 'hot,'" Kurama chuckled. Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Then there was Botan and if these dirtbags were low enough to mess with the only non-fighter on the team I'd have to kick their ass on principle anyway," Yusuke said.

"How noble of you," Botan said.

"Then I figured that you've been Spirit Detective since you were eight and haven't gotten yourself killed yet so I had to give you enough credit to not get yourself into trouble this time either especially after that stunt you pulled at the tournament," Yusuke said. "Kuwabara was the safest bet."

"Wow I can't believe you actually figured it out," the boy laughed.

"All right! I've had enough of you! Now cough up Kuwabara," Yusuke demanded.

"I shall return Kuwabara to you unharmed very soon, but first let me introduce you to the master of this plan," he said.

The door behind him opened. Then slowly, out walked Genkai, with Goten and Trunks in tow.


	8. Unleashing Armageddon

_[A⁄N: Oops! Eight days instead of seven! My bad. Here's your update. I'll probably update again for you later today to make up for my lateness. I'm nearly done writing this series and have started on the next one which will be heavily crossed with Bleach and Dragon Ball Z! By the way, I'm going to be reposting the entire first series and most of the early chapters from Dark Tournament so they suck less. Don't forget to review. I love reviews!] _

"I'm sorry—what?" Yusuke asked.

"I know, you're surprised to see us," Trunks said, shutting off the flood light as the ceiling lights came on.

"Um, yeah, I seriously think that my brain is broken right now," I said.

"Why don't you tell us what the hell is going on," Yusuke said.

The boy dropped to his knees and bowed down.

"I'm sorry I failed you, Master Genkai," he said.

"Enough with the theatrics, Kido. If anything I was counting on you screwing it up," Genkai said.

"You never cease to surprise me. Truthfully, I suspected it might be you behind this, Genkai," Kurama said.

"Oh, good. Maybe you can explain it to the rest of us because I don't have a clue," I said.

"She was trying to teach us a lesson about perception," Kurama said.

"Correct, one that you'll need to learn very quickly. This won't be the last time that you encounter humans with the power of territory," Genkai said.

"Kurama, when did you realize that it was Genkai?" Botan asked.

"When I reached the top of the stairs. If they had truly used their resources, wanted it more, we most definitely would've been defeated," Kurama said. "But there was an ulterior motive here and I realized that whoever orchestrated this was trying to tell us something about ourselves. That would mean someone who knew us well and meant us no harm."

"You still haven't sufficiently explained what you want us to know by rubbing their powers in our faces," Hiei said.

"Well, you guys are all super well trained fighters, but as three of you have learned today you're going to run into obstacles where your physical strength is going to be meaningless," Goten said. "And then you'll have to use your brain."

"If you had used that lump three feet about your ass you might've held onto your soul," Genkai said. "Two feet for you."

Hiei was immediately offended that she'd brought it up.

"Seriously? You let those guys take your soul? Show some skill," Yusuke said.

"Oh, says the boy who got kidnapped and was held hostage," I said.

"Oh, come on. I wouldn't have been caught if I had known about that shadow thing," Yusuke said dismissively.

"I think that may have been the whole point of this exercise. No one is just going to tell you what their powers are, especially if it gives them the upper hand," I said.

"Exactly," Genkai said.

"But these guys aren't actually bad right? So who are they?" Yusuke asked.

"I found them," Trunks said. "Well, Kido here at least. After I found out about his powers, I told he should go see Genkai because she knows all about this weird Spirit Energy stuff."

"That's where we learned about you guys. The truth of the matter is that we've only had these powers for about a month, same as all the other new psychics," Kido said.

"New psychics?" Botan asked.

"The cause of which is our greatest threat," Genkai said. "Someone is carving a tunnel to the Demon World."

I laughed. "I'm sorry, Genkai, but what you said just sounded an awful lot like someone was carving out tunnel between here and the Demon World."

"Yes, Kairi. Sakyo's plan from the Dark Tournament was not buried with him," Genkai said.

"What Sakyo plan?" Yusuke asked.

"Yeah, Genkai just filled me in," Kuwabara said walking out of the back room in naught but his boxer shorts. "Apparently Koenma found out and never told us. Apparently he wanted all that money so he could carve out some doomsday tunnel."

"More importantly we've answered the eternal question for Kuwabara—boxers or briefs," Yusuke said.

"Shut up! Can't you be serious? It's not my fault he stole my clothes," Kuwabara huffed as he walked over to Yanna.

"But I thought Sakyo died when the stadium blew up?" Botan asked.

"We know for sure that he's dead. Now he's rolling in his grave because someone continued his work without him," Genkai said.

"But how could someone do this?" Yusuke asked.

"There's a border zone separating Demon World and the Living World. Someone would have to open a massive breach in it for that to happen," I said.

"It's called the Pseudo-Space. From time to time tiny portals up in it allowing demons such as Hiei and myself to slip through but they are unstable and quickly close trapping us here," Kurama said.

"You're lying old woman. If there was tunnel out of this vile world I surely would have taken it by now," Hiei said.

"Okay, first of all, 'vile world?' I bet there's not even indoor plumbing where you come from. You probably had to like, shit in a hole or just, like, let your feces fall behind you as you walked some kind of Neanderthal," I said. "And second of all, weren't we just having a conversation about all the weird energy and the gross bugs, and now we've seen three run of the mill human with this territory power. That is a textbook example of a tunnel opening."

"My, someone paid attention in Spirit Detective school," Botan said. "I don't even know much about it."

"After Majin Buu I made Koenma swear to tell me about any potential Armageddon scenarios I may encounter while under his charge," I said.

"If you don't believe it I can show it to you," Genkai said.

"Where is it?" Yusuke asked.

"No, wait, let me guess—Karakura Town," I said.

"Yes," Genkai said.

"That close?" Yusuke asked

"I fucking knew it! Nothing good ever comes out of that weird ass city. I always say that," I said.

"It's true. She does always say that," Kurama said.

"All right, so what are the Wonder Twins doing here?" Yusuke asked.

"I decided that if I was going to have to deal with a bunch of teenagers at least a few of them had better not be useless," Genkai said.

The briefcase Botan had been carrying around with her that held our Spirit Detective items started beeping.

"Oh! I guess that's Koenma," she said kneeling down on the floor and opening the case. The screen on the back of it flickered to life, with Koenma.

"Botan, are Kairi and Yusuke with you? It's urgent!" Koenma said.

"We're all here, Koenma," Genkai said.

"Genkai! I forgot I brought you back to life!" he said.

"You're slow on the uptake this time. Are you going to tell us about the border tunnel?" Genkai asked. "In the past month 30 humans have come to me for help suddenly finding themselves with supernatural abilities, like these two here," Genkai motioned back to Yanna who was now conscious and dressed, and Kido. "Their powers all vary but the one thing that they all have is common is that-."

"They're all from Karakura Town?" I asked.

Genkai sighed. "Yes, Kairi."

I shook my head. "Nothing, but trouble, I tell you. Nothing but trouble."

"Well, I guess I'm a smidgen happy that the border zone hasn't increased any, but if what you're telling me is correct it means we've already advanced into stage two."

"Stage two? What's that mean? You move up to training pants?" Yusuke asked.

"No!" Koenma shouted.

"Tunnels open in four stages, Yusuke. Stage one is that demon energy increases in the Living World which allows demon parasites to thrive which is why we've seen so many bugs. As the size of the tunnel grows it moves into stage two where typical humans are gifted with very strange abilities. Stage three is really bad. There's a huge increase in Demon Energy and low class demons spawn at will. They aren't very smart or very strong, but they are incredibly violent and obviously would be a problem for normal humans. Stage four is when the tunnel stabilizes and would allow for total passage into the Living World," I said. "Armageddon."

"Total passage for who?" Botan asked.

"Yeah, whose ass do I have to kick?" Yusuke asked.

"The size of this tunnel will be roughly two kilometers. That would allow demons through the C and B class to pass through," Koenma said.

"Wait? What do you mean by class?" I asked.

"Spirit World ranks all demons according to their power level. I never told you this because it never held any importance," Koenma said. "But here's a nifty frame of reference—all of the demons in the upper level B class would be in the same power level as Toguro."

"Toguro is just a B class? Nearly killed us all and he's just a B class?" Yusuke shouted.

"The Demon World is an ancient place and its depths are endless," Koenma said. "In truth, there are vast parts of its territory that Spirit World has no control over."

"I never knew that," Botan said.

"Think of Demon World as a series of basements stretching down further and further into an endless void. Of all of these basements Spirit World only has control over half of the first one," Koenma explained.

"Sounds like you're a pretty crappy ruler," Yusuke said.

"It would be downright stupid to try to take it all at once. We've had no choice but to expand slowly over the centuries. We don't want to wake the A class, S class, or Super A class demons sleeping at the bottom," Koenma said. "Not even my father and all his armies could defeat the S class demons."

"Lets put these classes into perspective for me, one more time," I said. "If you were to put Majin Buu in his final most powerful form he would. . . Not be able to exist on your scale right? Power like that doesn't actually exist in the natural world does it?

". . . Majin Buu in his final form would rank as an upper level S class," Koenma said.

"Oh. . . So, when you said that not even your father and all his armies could defeat an S class demon, what you were really saying is that not even _my_ father and the combined energy of everyone on planet Earth _and_ Namek could defeat an S class demon," Goten said.

"I think I'm going to find a corner to cry in now," I said.

"Koenma, you aren't one to sit idly by. Surely if you knew such power existed you'd have taken precautions," Genkai said.

"Yes, of course," Koenma said. "To seal off the area surrounding Demon World we have raised a Kekai Barrier."

Botan and I both sighed with relief.

"Oh, a barrier! And you've had us worried over nothing," Botan said.

"But. . . If you've got this barrier up, why are demons still getting through?" I asked.

"We had to make priorities and even our resources are limited. The only way we could spread the energy out was in the form of a net. The net is large enough that B class and lower demons could squeeze through, but the larger A and S class demons are held at bay," Koenma said.

"How could you sign off on a plan like that? You made it so that hundreds of demons as powerful as Toguro could prance over here whenever they like?" Yusuke asked.

"Yusuke, you're only upset because you don't understand," I said. "Toguro almost killed us yes, but there were people like Frieza and Cell who are unfathomably powerful and could annihilate the world with literally a flick of their finger. I would rather face an army of Toguros than take on an army of Cells or Friezas or Majin Buus."

"That is exactly right, Kairi. Just one S class demon like Cell or Majin Buu could annihilate not only humanity, but the entire planet itself," Koenma said.

"Could someone please explain to me what's going on? It's not my fault that my powers still aren't working yet and I can't hear what Koenma is saying! We're a team and teams don't leave each other in the dark!" Kuwabara said.

No one answered. It was all just too much to absorb right now.

888

"But my life's just starting! There's so much I haven't done yet! I need to marry a girl and grow my first mustache and now you're telling me that there's a hole opening up so a bunch of demons as strong as Toguro can come and kill us! And then there's the A and the S guys that even Spirit World can't handle? Is this truly the end of it all!" Kuwabara asked.

"Calm the fuck down. I'm the only one on this team who's allowed to have mental breakdowns. You got it?" I asked. He nodded.

"We can talk about our plan later. At the moment, I need to go save Kaito," Genkai said.

"Oh, right, the bookworm. I forgot about him," Kuwabara said.

We all made our way downstairs and Genkai quickly managed to get Kaito's soul back into his body.

He sat up from the floor and looked around.

"A full house. I assume everything went according to your plan Master Genkai," Kaito said.

"You played your part well, Kaito," Kurama said. "You lost, but it was a stirring introduction."

"I wasn't playing along. I was trying my hardest to defeat you. For once I wanted to see you lose, but I guess I'll have to wait a little bit longer," Kaito said.

"Nice thinking brain boy. So you lost your soul because Kurama beat you on a few math quizzes. What if Grandma hadn't been here to save you?" Yusuke asked.

"Simple. He would have faded into nothing," Genkai said. "Kaito's a risk taker. That's why they came to see me. He'd removed his own soul and they didn't know how to put it back. A soul is very fragile without a body or ghost to protect it. Within 24 hours it would break apart."

"And yet you risked it anyway," Kurama said.

"Real discovery requires risk. I had to know what would happen if I broke my own rule," Kaito said.

"All right, so you've got the power of taboo, Kido has the power of shadows or whatever, and you Yanna, you can copy?" I asked. "And you're all from Karakura Town?"

"Yes, and there are many more like them," Genkai said. "They've had their powers for a full month."

"That's only about three weeks after the tournament ended," I said.

"So it must've been just a few days after the last round that this whole tunnel business got started," Yusuke said.

Botan's briefcase beeped again and she opened it.

"We've just finished calculating the growth rate on that tunnel and it's bad," Koenma said. "At this rate we will reach stage four in three weeks."

"Three weeks? That's all?" I asked.

"There's gotta be something we can do. Can't you, like, close the hole back up?" Yusuke asked.

"The only way to do that would be to stop the tunnel's creator. This isn't a typical hole. It's not physical yet. It's a distortion in space/time 1.3 kilometers wide," Koenma said. "In three weeks it will hit 2 kilometers and stabilize. You don't use a drill to make this kind of tunnel. You use a psychic nested at the center point."

"And you guys know where he is right? So all we've got to do is get there and I can turn his brains into pudding," Yusuke said.

"Not so fast," Genkai said.

"You guys know the city right? Then take me to that hole," Yusuke said.

Genkai sighed, and using telekinesis flipped him upside down and dropped him on his head.

"What is this! Be Bitchy Day!" Yusuke exclaimed.

"Here's a brilliant concept, try learning from your mistakes. What I wouldn't give to have a successor with a brain," Genkai said. "Do you know how much trouble I went through to set up this ordeal? It was to teach you one thing—you cannot go into this without understanding your enemy's powers or you will lose."

"Maybe you weren't listening! Koenma said we're running out of time," Yusuke said.

"If that tunnel opens up we're doomed," Kuwabara said.

"That still gives us three weeks," Goten said. "My Dad and my brother Gohan only had 10 days to get ready for the Cell Games. I'd say we actually got lucky."

"We must find out how many members are in their group, who is their leader and what is the true nature of their powers," Genkai said. "Without those answers attacking would be suicide."


	9. The Other Emotional Terrorist

_[A⁄N: And here's your second update as promised. Don't forget to review!]_

"Koenma, if everyone's done with their questions, I have one of my own," Hiei said suddenly.

"Yes, Hiei," Koenma said.

"Where on your scale does Spirit World place me?" Hiei asked.

Trunks groaned. "Is now really the time for personal questions?"

"If Spirit World is going to put me on a scale, I demand to know where I fall," Hiei said.

"Now is hardly the time for that," Trunks said. "World coming to an end and all."

"If you can tell me what you plan to do about it in the next thirty seconds I'll gladly save my question for another time, but I get the feeling that you're just as clueless about what to do as everyone else here," Hiei said.

"I'm sorry, I know I keep asking you this, but what the hell is your problem? Have I victimized you in someway?" Trunks asked.

"You think I would waste my time and energy having a problem with you?" Hiei asked.

"Hiei and Trunks I implore you to learn to be in the same room with each other without the constant fighting," I said.

"Maybe I would if someone wasn't wasting our time," Trunks said.

"And standing here arguing with Hiei, who clearly takes pleasure in making you angry, is a much better use of our time," I said.

"Yes, you should listen to your girlfriend. Clearly she makes up for what you're lacking in intelligence," Hiei said.

"Don't make me come over there, Hiei," I threatened. Hiei smirked at me.

"Well, now that that's resolved, Hiei, about your question," Koenma said. "Spirit World would rank your power level at. . . that of an middle class B."

While everyone else seemed impressed that Hiei was just a touch weaker than Toguro, Hiei was not happy.

"Excuse me?" Hiei scoffed. I face palmed myself. Now we had to deal with Hiei having a hissy fit.

"To be truthful, when you first fought Yusuke a year ago you were only ranked at a lower class D level. The kind of progress you've shown since them is truly unheard of," Koenma said.

"So even now you continue to underestimate me?" Hiei asked.

"He only just told you that you're pretty much unstoppable and you're complaining. Do you even hear yourself?" I asked. "This is the last time I stick up for you in a fight."

"I think I'm done here," Hiei said turning his back to us.

"So, wait you're just leaving?" Yusuke asked.

"You can't just leave us. We're supposed to be Team Spirit Detective!" Kuwabara said.

"You already have your clown, your fox boy, and your Saiyans. I'm a moot point," he said.

"Hiei, can you put your gigantic ego aside for five minutes think rationally about this?" I asked.

"I don't intend to hinder your work, Detective," he said, "but I don't intend to help it either."

"Are you kidding me right now?" I asked. "We're going to need your help."

Hiei shrugged. "Well, I'd like to help. . . But not as much as I'd like not to."

Then he started out of the door.

"Oh, no he doesn't," I said.

I chased after him out of the door. I managed to catch him before he disappeared.

"Listen, Cunty McCunterson," I started. He turned around to me and sighed.

"You're becoming increasingly annoying," he said.

"Oh, I'm annoying? You're the one who just had a bitch fit for no reason and walked out on us," I said. Hiei turned to leave again. I did the first thing I thought of. I took my shoe off and threw it at the back of his head.

"What the hell is your problem?" I shouted at him.

"What the hell is _your_ problem? You just threw a shoe at my head!" he said.

"I wouldn't have thrown my shoe at your head if you weren't being an asshole," I said. "All you've done all day is acted like an asshole."

"So the proper thing for me to have done today would've been to just let you get the shit beaten out of you then?" Hiei asked.

"That's different," I said.

"Oh, is it?" he asked.

"Yes. Me getting my ass kicked isn't nearly on the same scale as someone opening a tunnel and trying to destroy the Earth," I said.

"Maybe you missed it when I said it before, but I could really care less about either of those things," he said.

"If you could care less about me getting my ass kicked then why did you stop to help me?" I asked. "I wouldn't have been the wiser." Hiei rolled his eyes at me again. "Oh, right, you have conscience and you couldn't have just seen me getting my ass kicked and moved on because you would've felt bad."

"Don't flatter yourself," he said.

"I'm not. I'm actually giving you more credit than Kurama did," I said. "He thinks you were 'concerned' about me since I can't use my powers and following me."

Hiei scoffed.

"All right, so if Kurama is wrong then why did you kiss me today and at the tournament?" I asked. Hiei didn't answer, he just glared at me. I started to laugh. "No, wait, come on, Hiei. You _do_ like me. Even I find that hilarious. Especially since running away like this makes you double the asshole I originally thought you were."

"Oh, really?" he asked.

"Yes. Originally I thought you were just some arrogant jerk who couldn't take the truth. Now I also think you're an emotional terrorist. . . And suddenly everything the boys were telling me about Trunks makes sense," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't leave or I will forever consider you to be a terrible a person," I said.

"You already think I'm a terrible person," he said.

"I'll throw my shoe at you again," I said.

"You mean this shoe?" he asked picking up the one I'd thrown at him. He then turned and threw as far as he could muster.

"You bitch! I hate you!" I shouted.

"No you don't," he said.

"Urgh! If you leave, then the next time I see you, I'm going to kick you in the shins!" I shouted.

"Goodbye, Detective," he said. And then he was gone.

I was so infuriated that I actually screamed. The next time I saw him, I was definitely going to punch him in the face.

"I'm guessing you weren't successful then," Kurama said.

I looked over to the door and Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke stood there.

"That asshole threw my shoe into the dark of the night!" I said.

". . . And how did he get your shoe?" Yusuke asked.

I sighed. "So maybe calling him a cunt and throwing my shoe at his head may not have been the best approach to keeping him on our side."

"No," Kurama said.

"But, I tried damn it. I tried really hard," I said. "Hiei requires a more forward approach after all."

"I thought if anyone was going to convince him to stay it'd be Kairi," Kuwabara said.

I laughed. "In an ideal world, maybe, but Hiei is a first class asshole. And I totally get what you were saying about me being an emotional terrorist by the way."

"Whoa, why?" Yusuke asked.

"I dunno. Probably seeing another emotional terrorist in real life kind of puts your own assholery into perspective," I said.

"So. . . Hiei, you're saying, is also an emotional terrorist," Kurama said.

"Correct. I mean I gave him the benefit of the doubt because of what happened at the tournament but-."

"Whoa, wait, what happened at the tournament?" Kuwabara asked.

I laughed. "Oh, right. So yeah, I kissed him."

"What?" Kurama exclaimed.

"Let me finish," I said. "I kissed him, but he told me that despite how you and Trunks thought I was obvious that he had no idea that I liked him prior to me kissing him, but that in hindsight it was obvious and that being the case, if he had known-."

"He wouldn't have gotten as close with you as he did," Kurama said.

"Right, so I had every reason to believe it wouldn't happen again or that he might actually like me," I said.

"So you know for a fact that Hiei likes you?" Yusuke asked.

"You kissed him again?" Kuwabara asked.

"Okay, what happened when I was getting my ass kicked by those Denison guys on the way to Keiko's house, Hiei showed them up and scared them off. What happened in between the saving me and the making out thing is a mystery. Then I told Kurama and Kuwabara that Hiei came and saved me and they just went on and on about how Hiei was probably following me because he liked me, which made sense because making out isn't exactly a one sided activity," I said.

"True," Yusuke said.

"So I asked him, 'if you don't like me why did you kiss me?'" I said.

"What did he say?" Kurama asked.

"Nothing," I said.

"Ha! The only time Hiei ever shuts the fuck up is if you're right," Yusuke said.

"I'm very concerned about your romantic interests," Kurama said.

"You're right to be," I said with a sigh. "Anyway, then I told he was a terrible person and threatened to throw my other shoe at him, but then he threw my shoe and left so a lot of good those feelings of his did us."

"Well, now we know how to lure him out. We just have to drop you helplessly into danger and he'll come a runnin'," Yusuke said.

I glared at him. "Fuck you."

"Seriously though, I wouldn't worry. He always shows up when we need him doesn't he?" Yusuke asked. "Now we play the waiting game."

"I guess so," I said.

"So. . . How was he?" Yusuke asked.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You made out with Hiei. How was it?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm not telling you," I said.

"Oh, come on. He can't have been that bad. I mean, no one is really bad at kissing," Yusuke said. "I'm sure even Hiei can figure it out. Unless you were bad at it."

"No one was bad at anything, Yusuke. I really don't want to talk about it," I said. I could feel my face getting hot as the blood rushed up to my cheeks.

"Aw, Kairi's embarrassed. You don't see that every day," Kuwabara said.

"Screw you guys," I said.

888

The next morning, we hiked over to Karakura Town in two groups—Genkai, Kido, Yanna, Trunks, and Yusuke went hunting for any human psychics that could potentially be playing for the bad guys, while Kurama, Kaito, Kuwabara, Botan, Goten and I went to investigate the sight of the tunnel.

We got to the sight and found nothing more than an open field of grass.

"It doesn't make sense," Botan said. "Koenma says that the center of the tunnel should be right here."

"And yet I see neither tunnel nor digger," Kurama said.

"Curiouser and curiouser," Goten said looking around the field.

"Although. . .," I said sitting down in the middle of grass. "There's definitely someone here."

"What? Are they invisible?" Kuwabara asked.

"No," I said rolling my eyes. "They're underground."

"How can you tell?" Kaito asked.

"It's hard to explain, but I can like. . . Feel his brain," I said. "It's like a little voice that keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. . . Focused solely on digging the tunnel."

"And Vegeta always says your psychic powers are useless," Goten said.

"There's definitely something underneath here," I said getting to my feet. "I doubt they're physically strong, but their psychic powers are incredible. That's probably why it's gotten so large so quickly."

"That's what she said," Goten said.

"Good one," I said.

"Thank you," Goten replied.

"Well, what do we do now?" Kuwabara asked.

"We report what Kairi's found to Koenma," Kurama said. "And then I think we should quickly regroup with the others."

"You sound pressed," Goten said.

"I am. . . We are being watched," Kurama said.

"Someone's following us?" I asked.

"Yes," Kurama said. "For the moment, I believe we are only being observed, but considering the immensity of this situation I don't like that if there's confrontation there'll only be two of us to protect the rest of you."

Botan opened her briefcase and sat it down on the grass. Koenma's face popped up.

"Koenma, there's been a snag," I said. "We're at the sight of the tunnel and there's nothing here."

"Nothing?" Koenma asked.

"Well, not that we can see, but I can definitely sense someone underground digging the tunnel. I definitely think it's underground," I said.

"Underground? That's going to be a problem," Koenma said. "We'll look into it." Then the screen went dark.

"He must be busy," I said closing the briefcase and handing it back to Botan.

"I wonder if it's caused any problems being underground," Botan said.

I went to answer, but was stopped as image sprang into my head. It was brief, and didn't make much sense. There was a ball of strange energy and then an explosion. Pieces debris from a building flew everywhere.

The images quickly vanished and I was back with my friends in the field.

"What'd you see this time?" Goten asked casually. He was so used to me predicting things by now it didn't even faze him. He'd once even told me that I got "Vision Face" when I was seeing something.

"You just had a vision just now?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Strange energy and then an explosion"

"Well that tells us nothing," Kurama said with a frown.

"Yeah, except that someone's going to try to blow us up in the near future," I said.

"Uhm, I just got a really weird text from Trunks," Goten said.

"What's it say?" I asked.

"Karakura Hospital. SOS," he said.

"That's disconcerting," Kurama said. "We should head there straightaway."

We moved as fast as we could toward the hospital. Only a few blocks short of hospital it came into view and out of the window from the ground floor shot a spirit gun.

We all stopped dead in our tracks.

"That's not a good sign," Goten said. "What would Yusuke need to fire a Spirit Gun for?"

"Something bad I assume," Kaito said.

"We must hurry," Kurama said.

When we reached the hospital, it was quiet and we looked it over trying to deduce why our friends were here.

"This is troubling," Kurama said.

"Because he used his Spirit Gun?" Botan asked.

"Yes, and the fact that nothing has happened. It's like the cause without the effect. No doctors, no nurses, or interns or police to investigate," Kurama said. "Goten, keep an eye on things out here. I'm to go in and investigate."

"Hey! That's not a team decision!" Kuwabara complained.

"Your inability to use your Spirit Energy could prove to be problematic," Kurama said.

"I'm going with you," I staring at the hospital. "I have a bad feeling about. . . Something bad is going to happen if you go in there alone."

"Well if I've learned anything about you it's not to ignore those bad feelings of yours," Kurama said. "You'll have to stay close." I nodded. "Hopefully, we'll be back shortly."

Kurama and I ran towards the hospital. Then he stopped suddenly.

"What?" I asked.

"We can't just go in through the front doors. Surely something terrible will be awaiting us there," Kurama said. "The back door will be protected as well."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" I asked.

Kurama pulled out his rose whip. "Let's try the roof."

"The roof?" I asked.

He wrapped his arm around me. "Hold on." He launched the whip upward and around the roof of the building. I grabbed on tightly to him and he ran up the side of the hospital. We climbed onto the roof of the hospital, and surveyed the surrounding area.

"Everything seems clear up here," Kurama said. He motioned to the door. "We should prepare just in case there's anything on the other side of this door."

I nodded. Kurama reached and pulled the door open. Staring back at us were several hundred little yellow bugs carrying sacs of green liquid attached to stingers. They didn't move. They just hovered there, buzzing at us.

"You think they're part of someone's territory?" I asked. I stuck my hand into the doorway and the bugs all shot for it. I pulled my hand back outside and they all froze again

"Looks that way," Kurama said. "We'll have to be cautious."

"Or," I said putting up a force field, "we can be smart."

"Been practicing I see," he said.

"I can't make it very big so you'll have to stay close," I said.

"That is what he said," Kurama said.

"My sense of humor is growing on you I see," I said.

Kurama and I ran into the hospital. The bugs charged us but were unable to penetrate my force field. As we descended down the stairs we could feel the energy change. We were definitely a part of someone's territory.

We entered into the hospital where there were fewer bugs, but still many of them none the less. I could feel Yusuke's energy below somewhere. Just down the hall I could hear a voice shouting.

Kurama and I made our way towards the voice and discovered it was coming from the elevator. The voice was calling out for Genkai.

Kurama pushed the elevator button and the door opened. To our shock and awe, Shizuru was inside, holding a visibly ill Keiko.

"What on earth are you two doing here?" he asked, more frustrated than concerned as we jumped onto the elevator and the doors closed behind us.

Puu was flapping his ears wildly in Keiko's lap. I bent down next to Keiko and felt her forehead.

"She's burning up," I said.

"It's those bug things," Shizuru said looking up above her head. We could hear the buzzing sound in the elevator shaft. "They sting you and make you sick. They've gotten everybody in the whole hospital."

"Do you know where the others are?" Kurama asked.

"No. Genkai was here, but she left us to go look for Yusuke," Shizuru said.

The buzzing sound was getting louder.

"We need to get out of this elevator," I said. "We're sitting ducks in here."

"We'll head for the stairway," Kurama lifting Keiko up from the ground onto his back. "Use your force field to keep us covered in the front. I'll protect us from behind."

"You got it," I said. The elevator doors opened and were thankfully greeted with only a few of the vermin. We made a mad dash for the elevator and headed toward the lower level.

By the time we got to the ground floor, we felt the territory vanish.

"It's gone," Kurama said.

". . . What's going on?" Keiko grumbled, coming back to life. "Kurama?"

"Keiko, you're awake," Shizuru said. She put her hand to Keiko's head. "Her fever's gone."

"Yeah, I feel fine," she said as Kurama let her to the ground. Puu flopped over and plopped himself in his usual spot in her arms. "What happened?"

"I'd like to find that out myself," Kurama said.

We pushed through the first floor doors, and turned the corned. Yanna and Trunks were standing with Yusuke beside a broken window. Behind them, Goten, Botan, Kuwabara, and Kaito were headed our way.

As we made our way toward them, Puu popped up out of Keiko's arms and flew up to Yusuke. He turned around when he spotted his Spirit animal and immediately frowned when he saw Keiko.

"Jeez, Puu, you're like the tour guide to danger," Yusuke said.


	10. Troublemaker

_[AN: So I have a really long note at the bottom regarding power levels and what not so check that out at the bottom so you can have your many questions answered. In other news, I'd just like to shout out **gaisent11**, **asredwer** and **General Warthog** for being such awesome reviewers and reviewing every time like the amazing human beings they are. Please have a free hug.]_

"Okay, I'm sorry. Let me take this from the beginning. He slit Kido's wrists, killed seven doctors and injured a nurse because he was. . . helping them?" I asked.

"That's what we gathered," Yusuke said.

"We are not dealing with regular villains. These legitimate psychopaths," I said. "And not just any psychopaths—humans, humans who, for whatever reason, think that humanity has gotten so awful that we all need to be eradicated. That is the most fucked up thing I have ever heard in my life."

"Tell me about it," Yusuke said.

I sighed.

"How many did you say there were?" Kurama asked.

"Seven—Doctor, Gourmet, Game Master, Seaman, Sniper, Gate Keeper, and Dark Angel," Yusuke said.

"Well doctor was obviously the loony who attacked everyone at the hospital," Kuwabara said.

"And Sniper had to be the guy who shot the psychic that helped you in the head which prompted your visit to the hospital in the first place," I said.

"And we can assume Gate Keeper is the one digging the tunnel," Kurama said. "That leaves four unaccounted for."

"And we've only got three weeks to figure this all out," I said. "Six psychopathic humans still on the loose and we can't do anything but sit around twiddling our thumbs until we get a lead."

Yusuke shook his head. "I saw the guy."

"You saw him?" I asked.

"Whoever's leading them. . . I saw him. He looked right at me," Yusuke said. "Like he knew me."

"That makes me really uncomfortable," I said. "Even demons know us by reputation only. If he knew you, he's been keeping tabs on us. He knew how to find us."

"He was waiting for me there," Yusuke said. "Sending us to the hospital was a trap they'd had set up all along."

"I'm seriously creeped out right now," Kuwabara said.

"Me too," I said. "I might actually be in danger walking around Karakura Town alone."

"It does seem a bit more dire than random thugs coming after you now," Kurama said. "If they know you can't use your energy you may very well be a target. I certainly wouldn't want to wait around for you to get your energy back. We're not always going to be around to babysit you."

"Hmm. . . Oh! You might not have to. I think we might actually be able to get help on this case," I said, suddenly remembering the day before.

"From who?" Yusuke asked.

I then took the time to finally explain to the rest of my team what I'd learned yesterday about the Soul Society, Soul Reapers, Hollows, and my classmates Ichigo, Uryu, Chad, and Orihime.

". . . Well no wonder they picked Karakura Town! It's already full of freaks! Where the hell does Koenma get off not telling us about this?" Yusuke complained.

"Well, it's like Botan told me, we never went near Karakura Town before because we thought it was weird and even if we did their soul reapers are better at their jobs than we are at ours. The first sniff of a hollow and they're on the case," I said.

"If my memory serves me correctly Hollows are drawn to more powerful levels of spirit energy?" Kurama asked. I nodded. "So with the increase of Demon Energy currently making its way through Karakura Town it stands to reason that Hollow activity is expected to increase."

"And since we go to school there and have unnaturally high levels of Spirit Energy we may as well be pinning targets to our backs for Hollows too," I said.

"Gee, can this day get any rougher?" Kuwabara asked.

"Probably, but let's not jinx ourselves, shall we?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah. Let's all just go home and get some sleep and reconvene here tomorrow after school," I said. "And I'll talk to Ichigo. If he senses anything out of the ordinary coming from a human I'll make sure he lets me know."

888

Somehow, I just wasn't able to get to sleep knowing that there was a group of humans running the streets looking to destroy the rest of humanity. It wasn't like with Frieza who was able to create genocide on a mass scale for years because he didn't know or care about the people he was destroying. This was a group of seriously messed up individuals.

We had no leads and only three weeks to figure out what was going on. I wasn't going to be getting any sleep any time soon.

Then I heard a gentle tapping on my window. I sat up in bed and looked over to the window and saw Trunks there.

I rolled out of bed and lifted it open for him to climb inside.

"What are you doing here? It's almost one in the morning," I said. "Shouldn't you be home sleeping?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping too?" he asked.

"That's irrelevant. I'm not creeping into anyone's bedroom in the middle of the night. You do know Kurama is right next door to me, right?" I asked. "Not to mention my aunt Shiori has mom ears."

Trunks shrugged. "I needed to talk you. We haven't talked in a few days."

"Sorry about that. Spirit Detective stuff came up as you know," I said sitting down on my bed.

"Yeah," he said as he plopped down next to me. "Horrible timing."

"There's not really any good timing for Armageddon," I said.

"True," he said.

"So what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

He sighed. "You know I really like you, Kairi."

"And I like you too," I said. "I'm sorry I'm dragging my feet with this whole relationship thing. I guess I didn't really plan for things to turn out like this after the tournament. It looks like I've put you on the backburner where you don't belong again."

"Shame on you," he said.

"Right," I sighed. "And now I'm just a big ball of stress because the world is ending and there is very little I can do to stop it."

"That is rough," he said.

"More than anything right now I just want a lead on this case," I said.

"A lead?" Trunks asked. I nodded. "Or a distraction."

I scoffed. "I don't need to be distracted right now. Especially with my powers on the mend and Yusuke being a moron and Hiei's gone and Kuwabara's still useless and the only one who isn't running around like a chicken with its head cut off is Kurama."

Trunk chuckled. "You don't follow me at all."

"Evidently not," I said.

Trunks raised his hand up to the side of my face and then leaned over and kissed me.

Of course. I was a moron and generally failed at being a teenage girl. What other reason would a boy have to sneak into my bedroom through the window in the middle of the night except to make out with me?

I thought about the fact that this fell under the category of emotional terrorism big time, but I was too distracted by his lips to actually try to fess up to anything that had happened with Hiei right now.

Trunks twisted my ponytail between his fingers and we slowly fell backward onto my pillows. His other hand was resting gently resting on my waist, tracing circle with his thumb on the slightly exposed skin of my midriff.

I slid my tongue into his mouth, taking in the taste of him. His hand on my waist began to creep a tad lower to the elastic band of my pajama shorts. His thumb slowly slipped down into them and slid over my bare skin causing a small gasp to escape from my mouth. Then my hand, out of reflex, reached down and grabbed his, guiding it away from my pants.

"Keep it above the belt. I don't need to be _too_ distracted," I whispered to him.

Trunks followed my instructions and quickly brought my lips back to his.

Not a moment later did my bedroom light flick on. Trunks and I immediately snapped away from each other and sat up.

"Hello, Trunks," Kurama said gently from the door.

"Yo. . . Kurama," he replied casually.

"You should probably go home now," Kurama said.

"Yes, you should, Trunks."

From behind Kurama, Shiori appeared. I mentally rammed by head into my wall. I was now in a metric shit ton of trouble.

"And use the door this time," Shiori said.

Trunks stood from my bed and scooted uncomfortably from my room.

"I'll be called your parents in the morning!" she shouted to him. Then she turned to me. "And yours."

"I figured," I said, listening as Trunks walked out of the front door downstairs.

"Good night, Kairi," Shiori said. She smiled at me and then walked back into her room across the hall.

Kurama chuckled.

"Oh, shut up," I said.

"You are going to be in _so_ much trouble," Kurama said. "It tickles me a bit actually how much trouble you're going to be in. First with the getting expelled, then with the disappearing without a word, and now finding a boy in your room at one in the morning. I feel as if an angry phone call from your mother isn't going to quite be enough for you."

"Do you hate me or something?" I asked.

"No. I came in here because I couldn't just go to sleep knowing that you were possibly in the room next to mine losing your virginity," Kurama said.

"I cannot believe you just said that," I said. "What kind of girl do you think I am?"

Kurama shrugged. "The kind that has boys in her room at one o'clock in the morning."

". . .Touché," I said.

"Evidently, my mother must've heard the two of you as well. And here you are, drowning in trouble," Kurama said.

I shook my head. I hated Kurama, but he was right. I was in trouble. I wasn't going to be scolded by my mother via phone call tomorrow like she did when I disappeared. As much as my parents let me do whatever I wanted there was a line, and I'd been overstepping it frequently since I'd gotten back from the tournament. A boy in my room, Trunks for that matter, was going to be the last straw.

If my dad didn't punch me through a wall tomorrow I'd be lucky.

"Well at least I know my dad can't murder me until the case is over," I said.

"At least that gives you time to make out your will," Kurama said. "You should leave me your computer."

"Fuck off," I barked at him.

He chuckled again. "Goodnight, Kairi."

888

"That's some pretty heavy stuff to drop on me and I've only known you for two days," Ichigo said when I saw him at lunch the next day.

I sighed. "You're not the one who has to deal with all of it personally."

"Although I guess it makes sense. There has been a lot more activity than usual around here," Ichigo said.

"Have you sensed anything out of the ordinary, I mean, as far as humans are concerned," I said.

Ichigo thought for a moment. "I don't pay a lot of attention to that stuff."

"Wow, you're so useful. Now I know how the Soul Society can sleep at night knowing you're patrolling the streets," I said.

"You'll probably have better luck asking," Ichigo said with a chuckle.

I frowned. "Awesome. I wonder if he still hates me."

"Why would he hate you?" Ichigo asked.

"I was super mean to him in elementary school and I know that usually you get over stuff like that, but I was down right evil," I said. "I used to put sand in his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I took our classroom fish in third grade and shoved it down his pants and everyone called him 'Fish Penis.' I put his head between the railings on the stairs and the fire department had to come and get him out. Not to mention all of the times I just beat him up for no reason. He finally transferred after he threw up this one time and I made him eat-."

"I don't want to hear the rest of this story," Ichigo said.

The roof door opened and Uryu walked in, joined by Orihime and Chad. They walked up to us and Orihime smiled widely at me.

"Hi, Kairi! It's nice to meet you! I sit next to you in art class during last period! Ichigo told us everything about you!" Orihime said excitedly. "I think it's so weird all of the stuff he was telling us you can do and that you did—you must've been super stressed out this summer."

"Something like that," I said. "But out of the frying pan and into the fire. Trouble doesn't stay gone from me for very long."

"No it doesn't," Uryu said.

I smiled at him. "Uryu Ishida."

"So you still remember my real name do you?" he asked.

"I swear that I will never call you 'Good ol' Four-Eyes' or 'Fish Penis' ever again. You're a Quincy. You deserve some respect," I said. "Although that 'Fish Penis' thing was pretty funny in retrospect."

"No," he said.

"Okay. Obviously you still haven't developed a sense of humor," I said.

"You made me eat my own vomit," Uryu said.

"I was suspended for, like, two weeks and I was super grounded," I said. "I'm sorry for emotionally scarring you, but I need your help."

"Help?" he asked.

I nodded. "From Spirit Detective to someone who's interested in being alive three weeks from now, I need a favor."

"What's wrong?" Orihime asked.

I explained the whole ordeal with the tunnel to Chad, Orihime, and Uryu in full detail about everything I knew.

"That sounds really bad," Chad said.

"It is," I said. "I live in West City, so I'm not exactly close enough to Karakura Town to be able to tell when humans are acting out with strange powers, but you guys are."

"So you want to know if we sense any of these psychics?" Uryu asked.

I nodded. "Not all of them are bad obviously, but we don't have any other leads right now."

"These guys could be anybody," Ichigo said. "And there are seven of them you said?"

"Game Master, Gourmet, Sniper, Dark Angel, Gate Keeper, Doctor, and Seaman," I said. "We're pretty sure that their code names are related to their powers."

"You said the Doctor guy was the one who killed all those people in the hospital yesterday?" Uryu asked.

I nodded. "Sniper is probably the guy that shot the psychic that helped Yusuke in the head. We think Gate Keeper is probably the one digging the tunnel."

"Well he can't be one of the psychics can he," Orihime said.

"Why wouldn't he be?" I asked.

"Well, you said all the humans started getting their powers _after_ the tunnel started being opened a month ago. If he was digging the tunnel for almost two then he didn't his powers from the tunnel did he?" she asked.

". . . I actually never thought of that before," I said.

"So if the guy digging the tunnel isn't one of the humans. . ." Ichigo started.

"Gate Keeper is probably a demon," I said. "That would explain why his abilities are so powerful."

"Do you think he's the leader?" Chad asked.

"I doubt it," I said. "No demons are going to convince a bunch of humans to destroy their own race. You'd need another human to do that."

"But who?" Orihime asked.

"That's the million zeni question," I said.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket. I fished it out and saw that it was Yusuke calling so I answered.

"We've got trouble. You need to get Kurama and get to my house right now!" Yusuke shouted.

"I can't. Kurama walked me to school and then left. He said he had something he needed to take care of and left," I said.

"Damn it! Of all the days for everyone to bail on us they choose today! Stay put! I'm coming to Karakura Town to get you!" Yusuke shouted.

"Coming to get me? Why?" I asked. "What exactly happened?"

"Koenma says the tunnel is going to be open in a week," he said.

"A week? But two days ago he said we had three weeks," I said.

"He said something about it being underground and geometry and blah blah blah. The point is we've only got a week," he said.

"All right. Okay. This is bad," I said. "Look, Sariyaski is clear on the other side of West City and my school is clear on the other side of Karakura Town. There is no point in running all the way. We'll just stick with our original plan and meet at your house after school."

"Well don't flake on me like everyone else," Yusuke said.

"What do you mean 'like everyone else'?" I asked.

"Freaking Kuwabara bailed on me to go to some stupid concert," Yusuke said.

"Oh, that's right. He's supposed to go see Megallica or something. He's had those tickets forever," I said.

"Saving the world is a bit more important than a stupid concert!" Yusuke said.

"Yes, but being angry is not going to fix it," I said. "We'll just grab him after the concert. Don't sweat it. Relax. I'll see you after school."

I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. Things were certainly starting to take a turn for the worst.

"Problem?" Uryu asked.

"So, we've just gotten new information and apparently we now only have a week before the tunnel fully stabilizes and humanity is doomed," I said. "Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara are all missing and Yusuke is starting to go a little bit nuts."

"What are you going to do?" Ichigo asked.

"Hope for the best at this point. There's still not much any of us can do," I said.

"You know," Uryu said, "there is a system of tunnels and caves running underneath the city."

"Is there?" I asked.

"Yes. That's probably where your digger is hiding," Uryu said.

"Oh, right! There's that creepy cave just outside of town that leads underground," Orihime said.

"Oddly enough it's called Demons Door Cave," Ichigo said.

"Apparently whoever is doing this to us has a sense of humor," I said. "Now I just need to call Trunks so he can come pick me up after school since my cousin has disappeared."

"I could walk you home," Ichigo said. "I know it's probably a pretty far walk, but it's not like I've got anything better to do."

"Well, thanks," I said. "I guess I won't call Trunks."

_[Regarding Power Levels: So it was pointed out to me that if you looked at Raizen's power level, as the strongest S class demon, in comparison to the DBZ universe, Raizen actually ranks to be about the same level as Frieza. To quote Vegeta (from Dragon Ball Z Abridged, of course) "Power levels are bullshit." And by that I mean that after the Frieza saga they became superfluous because everyone got to be so unfathomably strong that it was meaningless to keep track. You That being said, if Raizen was in fact the strongest S class demon then that would put Cell and Buu in the Super S class category because Frieza would be an S class. And I originally WAS going to put Buu and Cell in that category because they are strong as hell, and Buu's power in unimaginable, but that would decrease the element of danger in the story. No one would be pressed about getting the tunnel closed if everyone was able to kick the ass of any demon that came through. Realistically, everyone on Dragon Ball Z is SO much more powerful than everyone in YYH by a whole hell of a lot. In order to have a universe where YYH and DBZ coexist the playing field has to be leveled, in which case, everyone's power levels in DBZ had to be taken down a few pegs or whenever there was trouble you could just say "fuck it, Goku and Vegeta could do this no sweat." There has to be an element of danger, and in a world where Goku and Vegeta are more powerful than every single demon in Demon World, there is no danger. And that is why Frieza is an A class in this story._

_Additionally, someone also asked in Kairi was getting her powers back because she used the barrier or was it more of a psychic ability, it is more of a psychic ability. She uses her mind to create the barrier which would stop any physical attacks, like from the insects, but would essentially be useless against energy because I reckon it'd take a lot of concentration to stop an energy blast with your mind. Also, Kairi's powers aren't technically gone. She still has all of her energy, but has been disallowed from using it because of the massive increase of energy she got post her fight with Toguro because of the injury she took (and as you know, in addition to getting stronger after every battle, a Saiyan's strength increases exponentially after taking a near fatal injury). Because the increase is so large, releasing her energy could be dangerous because she wouldn't be able to control it. Think of it as when you shake up a bottle of pop and you can't open it for a while otherwise the soda will fly everywhere._

_Hope this has been informative! Send anymore questions you have and I will gladly answer them for you!]_


	11. The Truth

_[A⁄N: Huzzah for another Tuesday update! For those curious about when this takes place in contrast to what's happening in Bleach, don't hemorrhage you brain trying to figure it out. The Bleach story line is going to be completely AU and pretty much won't cross with any of their story arcs at all.]_

After school, Ichigo and began our long walk to Yusuke's house, at first in silence. I found it unbearable.

"So your dad runs a clinic?" I asked him.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "My sisters and I help out there from time to time."

"That's cool," I said. "What about your mom?"

"She, uh, died when I was a kid," he said.

"Oh. . . I'm sorry," I said.

"It was a hollow called Grand Fisher that killed her," Ichigo said. "I fought him one unsuccessfully, right after Rukia gave me her powers, but I know he's still out there."

"Well, I'm sure he'll get what's coming to him one way or another," I said.

"What about your parents?" he asked.

"My parents don't do much of anything. My mom is rich and basically is content to be a housewife and mother for the rest of eternity," I said. "My dad is a martial artist who also accumulated a fair bit of wealth in his youth from winning competitions."

"Wait. . . You said you were named after your dad, right? Goku? You don't mean the guy who defeated Piccolo do you?" Ichigo asked.

I laughed. "The same."

"He's in our history book," Ichigo said.

"Don't remind me. That's why I don't tell people my name. It's so weird," I said. "I mean, it's awesome too, but also weird."

"Just a little bit," he said. "Gee, your dad was World Champion in the World Martial Arts Competition right up until the Cell Games wasn't he?"

"Yeah. He had pressing matters to deal with instead of that competition," I chuckled.

"Like what? Was he busy saving the world like you do?" Ichigo asked.

"You say that as a joke, but you don't know how right you are," I laughed.

So, I told Ichigo everything about my dad, just as I had my friends in Maze Castle—from being born on Planet Vegeta all the way up through his death in the Cell Games.

"So your whole family is trouble?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes," I said.

"So your dad wanted to stay dead after the Cell Games? Why did he get brought back?" he asked.

"Well, the short version is that Earth was in danger again and no one else was going to be capable of saving us except him so he had to come back. I was eight. It was the first time I met him," I said.

"What's the long version?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't tell the long version," I said. "It was traumatic. I'm still not over it, although it did land me my gig as Spirit Detective. But maybe one day if I decide I like you enough I'll tell you. I haven't even told Yusuke about it yet."

"Well whatever happened, it must've worked out all right in the end," Ichigo said.

"Barely," I said. "Up until now, pretty much everything else that's come my way has been a cake walk. I mean, Toguro was tough, but nothing like this."

"Toguro was the guy you fought in the tournament right?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. I had to temporarily fake my own death to beat him, but I was successful, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without Yusuke," I said.

"Good ol' teamwork," Ichigo said.

"And a little bit of emotional scarring," I said.

"A little bit of childhood trauma builds character," Ichigo said.

"That's what I always say," I said. "Although I only say it to justify how weird I am."

"I don't think you're weird," he said. "I just think you have character, given all of the childhood trauma obviously."

I laughed. "You know, I was in a pretty rotten mood considering the world is supposed to be ending in a week, but you are just not letting me be down."

Ichigo shrugged. "I don't like seeing people upset. . . So I just don't let them be."

"Well, thanks," I said.

888

By nightfall, Yusuke was practically weeping into his couch cushions when Kurama and Kuwabara hadn't turned back up.

"Do you need a hug?" Goten offered.

"No! I need the rest of my team!" Yusuke said sitting up. "It's not that I don't like you, Goten, and I know that you are more than perfectly suited to assisting us should anything decide to come through this tunnel, but you know what—you are not Kurama! Where is Kurama?"

Yusuke fell face first back into the couch.

I looked over to Genkai.

"Dimwit," she scoffed.

"And Kuwabara, that flake!" Yusuke said, sitting up once again. "Wants to go to a stupid pop concert instead of helping us."

"Hey, we were gonna go see Megallica too. They were just sold out by the time we went to buy tickets," Trunks said. "They're pretty awesome."

"Yeah, well I don't like you, so shut up," Yusuke said.

"All right. So when Yusuke was gone, Hiei turned into a moron. Now that Hiei is gone, Yusuke has tuned into the unnecessarily hostile one," I said. "I wonder who on Team Spirit Detective turns into the good looking one with inappropriate timing when I'm gone."

"No, Kurama's the good looking one who's also got brains. You're the one who makes vague references and has inappropriate timing," Keiko said.

I thought for a moment. "Yeah, I can see that. In which case to replace me you'd need both Hiei and Kuwabara."

"Hiei for the vague references and Kuwabara for the inappropriate timing," Goten said.

"Yes," I said.

"Hiei. . . At least we can always count on Hiei to reappear when he's needed," Yusuke said suddenly falling back into his temper tantrum. "All we have to do is push Kairi in front of a bus or something and he'll magically appear."

"Yusuke! What a terrible thing to say," Botan scolded him.

"Yeah, especially since all the bus have probably stopped running by now," Yusuke said. "I'm not good with ideas. Kurama is our idea guy."

"Perhaps you should contact Koenma. Maybe he's seen him," Kaito said.

"Shut up. I don't need advice from you," Yusuke said getting to his feet. "Stupid freckles."

"Maybe you should calm down," Keiko suggested.

"Yeah, I don't need this," Yusuke said. He walked over to the door.

"And where the hell do you think you're going?" Genkai asked.

"To the arcade," Yusuke grumbled before walking out the door.

". . . Should someone go after him?" Goten asked.

"If Yusuke has any sense he's gone to bring back Kuwabara," Genkai said.

"Yeah, he's about as useless as I am right now, except more so because he can't sense anything," I said.

"So you think he's bringing back Kuwabara?" Keiko asked.

"If he's got any kind of common sense he is," Genkai said.

"Because that's what Yusuke Urameshi is known for—his surplus of common sense," Trunks said.

I chuckled as I walked into Yusuke's kitchen. I opened his refrigerator and pulled out a jug of juice. I opened the lid and sniffed it.

"Worried about it being expired?" he asked.

"No. Once I came over to Yusuke's house and accidentally chugged a glass of what I came to learn was a screwdriver," I said. "I don't remember what happened, but Yusuke used to have pictures of me wearing clown make up and a feather boa dancing around his living room, so now I always check."

Trunks chuckled. "Don't blame you."

"I'm surprised you're even over here after last night. I thought for sure your parents would've murdered you," I said as I poured a glass of what I was 90 percent sure was apple juice. I sniffed it once more, sipped it for good measure, and then, finding it safe to drink, downed it in a few gulps.

"Oh, you should've been at my house after school. I don't think I've ever seen my mom that angry before," Trunks said. "And then she gave me the talk so that was fun. How'd things go with you?"

"My mom hasn't called me and I haven't seen my dad yet, but I know he'll pop up eventually," I said. "I think the waiting is worse."

"So, I wanted to ask you something," Trunks said.

"Ask away," I said.

"What do you want from us?" he asked. "Seriously this time. Because I like you, but honestly, I'm really fed up with your games."

I was caught off guard by this line of questioning.

"Is now really the time for this?" I asked.

"Do you have something better to do?" he asked.

That was an undeniable no. I was useless at the moment and even if I weren't it's wasn't as if I had any leads to pursue.

"You tell me you're not sure one day, and then the next day we're making out in your room and truthfully, I'm really over the mixed signals," he said.

"Is it so wrong that I just like things the way they are now?" I asked. "I mean, I make time to spend with you and I like spending time with you and I don't like the idea of you spending time with anyone else-."

"And what about me?" he asked. "If you can have the expectation of me not being with anyone else, can't I expect that from you too?"

"What are you even talking about?" I asked.

"You know what I'm talking about. _Who_ I'm talking about," Trunks said.

I sighed as Hiei made his way back into the conversation. This was going to be fun.

"You don't find it weird that on the very same day that you decide to ignore everyone and run off on your own and get into trouble, Hiei happens to pop up and save the day?" Trunks asked.

"Look, we've already determined that Hiei was following me," I said.

"Why?" Trunks asked.

"It looks like you've already deduced an answer for yourself," I said.

"And what if I said that I didn't like you hanging around with him?" Trunks asked.

"I'd ask you where you see Hiei right now," I said. "He's not here. He left because that's what he does. He leaves."

Trunks nodded. "But at the first sign of you getting into trouble he'll come back, won't he? Like Yusuke said, if we push you in front of a bus he's going to be right there to save you isn't he."

"I don't know," I said.

"No, Kairi. You do know. In fact you're all counting on it," he said. "So what happens when he comes back?"

I rolled my eyes. "What are you expecting me to say? Nothing?"

"I just want you to tell me the truth," he said.

"Fine. The truth is that I'm not going to say that him coming back doesn't matter to me, because it does," I admitted.

I could see the anger boiling up inside of him.

". . . So this whole time," he started, "you've liked-."

"Hiei? Yeah, but you knew that already. You knew that before I did," I said. "But I like you Trunks, I always have."

"That's bullshit and you know it," he said. "If you had no intention of making this work you should've just said so."

"How many times did I tell you that I didn't want this because of exactly what's happening right here?" I asked him. "I said from the get go that things were just going to get screwed up. And now they are."

"So maybe you're right, but after the fact, if you knew you liked Hiei and you knew _that_ was the reason you didn't want to be with me why didn't you just say so?" he asked.

_Because I am an emotional terrorist._

". . . I don't know. Maybe I kept stringing you along because I know Hiei's a piece of shit and you're a better person," I said.

"And that makes it okay? Your logic is infallible," he said.

"Look, I told you from the start how things were. If you didn't want to listen then it's your own fault," I said. "You asked for the truth didn't you? So there it is."

"That's the truth?" he asked. I nodded. ". . . You really are just. . . You're just."

"Go on, say it," I said.

"You're a bitch," he said.

"Okay. . . Ouch," I said.

"No, but you are. You are a bitch. And you and Hiei deserve each other," Trunks said. "You know, if he can ever pull his head out of his ass long enough to actually man up and say that he likes you, which he probably won't, in which case, welcome to my life, Kairi Son."

I knew I wasn't in an actual official relationship with Trunks, but I knew what had just happened. I'd just been dumped in cold blood and I completely deserved it. I was an emotional terrorist and a horrible human being who had just blamed him for our relationship going to shit when all I'd had to do was tell him the truth about Hiei _months _ago before things got this far, before I'd ever let him get his hopes up. I was in denial and he'd gotten hurt for it. And now the friendship we'd been building up our whole lives was shattered into a million pieces and I wasn't sure we'd ever be able to fix it.

And what really sucked about all this was that I actually did like Trunks and in a universe where Hiei didn't exist I'd have been making out with him in Yusuke's kitchen while we waited for Armageddon instead of fighting like we were. And that thought absolutely broke my heart.

"I'm sorry, Trunks," I said quietly, ignoring the knot of guilt that was forming in my chest.

He shook his head. "Whatever, Kairi."

I instantly felt all of the room in the air become hostile and uncomfortable. I did the only thing I could think to do, and that was remove myself from the situation.

I walked into the living room and to the front door.

"And where the hell are you going?" Genkai asked.

"For a walk," I said.

"But, Kairi, it's not safe," Botan protested.

"I won't leave the block," I said. "I just need some air."

I walked out of the room and headed immediately toward the stairs. I ran down them to the street and let out a deep breath.

"Yo!"

I looked back to see that my little brother had joined me.

"Stalker," I said.

"Hey, it was either me or Genkai," Goten said. "I think I'm the lesser of two evils. She would probably hit you for running off like that. This is just a bad day for Team Spirit Detective. It's like you guys don't want to be around each other."

"It's whatever," I said. "I'm guessing everyone-."

"Heard your whole argument? Yeah," Goten said.

"Excellent," I said.

"You know I love you, but you're kind of a terrible person," he said.

"Gee, thanks, Goten," I said, rolling my eyes.

"I mean, understand what you're feeling and not wanting to be with him and that's cool. You shouldn't be with him if you don't want to be with him, even if it means that all hopes of him ever being my brother have been dashed," Goten said.

"You could always marry Bulla," I said.

"You're gross," Goten said. "But seriously, stringing him around like that. . . Then _blaming_ him. . . That makes you a terrible person."

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry I'm not a better role model."

Goten shrugged. "You're a good sister. You're a good Spirit Detective and friend. I just won't look to you for relationship advice anytime soon."

I chuckled. "Do you think Trunks is going to hate me now?"

"I think he'll probably hate that he still likes you even though you were a complete bitch to him," Goten said. "But I think he'll get over you and eventually you'll be able to be friends again. You started off hating each other after all. It wasn't until Majin Buu came around that you got close."

I nodded. "Maybe it'll just take another Armageddon scenario for us to patch things up."

"Well, I really hope it doesn't come down to that, but I see your line of reasoning," Goten said.

I turned and rested my head against the cement wall of the apartment building.

"What is wrong with me? I haven't always been a terrible person have I?" I asked.

"I don't think so. I mean, you aren't exactly nice to everyone all of the time, you've got these crazy anger issues you need to work out, and you find beating people up to be therapeutic," Goten said. "Maybe you've got issues, but you're not bad."

I sighed. "Thanks for the reassurance."

"Now, I get that you probably want to be alone so can I trust you not to wander off anywhere?" Goten said.

"You have my word," I said.

Goten patted me on the head and walked up stairs.

I stood, leaning against the side of the building taking in the night and considering the events of the past 24 hours. Getting caught with Trunks in my room, the tunnel's actually size, Demon's Door Cave, the possibility that the digger of the tunnel was a demon, and now destroying my friendship with Trunks in what appeared to an irreparable manner.

At that moment it started to rain. Things were shaping up to be pretty awesome.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and grimaced when I saw that it was Uryu.

"Hello, Uryu," I answered.

"Sorry to disturb your evening, but you wanted me to let you know if I sensed anything out of the ordinary," he said.

"So you have?" I asked.

"Yes. In West City as a matter of fact," he said.

"Where?" I asked.

"Near the stadium where's there's some rock concert going on," Uryu said. "I didn't manage to sort out who it was, but I know for a fact that one of your psychics is there."

My heart seized up in my chest. If this psychic was at the arena where Kuwbara probably was at this very moment an if he was one of the crazies that was trying to destroy the world they probably knew Kuwabara and that meant he could be in danger.

"Thanks, Uryu. I've gotta go," I said. I hung up the phone and started running. I had to find Kuwabara.

I managed to get to the stadium which was practically empty by now, but I still searched around for him. He and his posse were nowhere to be found. I couldn't sense any unusual energy there and I hadn't expected to. The psychic wasn't going to be using his territory freely like this and if they were hunting Kuwabara then that meant that he wasn't going to be here anymore.

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I started off towards Kuwabara's house, hoping that maybe he'd headed there.

I answered it quickly.

"Yusuke! Please tell me Kuwabara is with you," I said.

"No. Dammit. I was hoping he was with you," Yusuke said.

"No. Uryu called me and said that he sensed a psychic around the stadium somewhere," I said. "I'm here but Kuwabara's not and neither is the psychic that I can tell."

"Dammit, dammit, dammit. I told him not to go to that stupid concert," Yusuke said. "Botan and I are-."

But the conversation stopped right there because we both knew where Kuwabara was at that very moment. A powerful burst of energy erupted from a few blocks away. It was incredibly and unlike anything I had ever felt in my life before. . .

And it was unmistakably Kuwabara's.


	12. The Consequences of Bad Decisions

_[A⁄N: Did someone ask for a Goku cameo? Yes? Here you go.]_

Yusuke decided to go after Kuwabara on his own incase there was any serious dangerous still afoot there and sent me back to his apartment.

Upon arriving back at the apartment I found that Kaito and Trunks had gone and been replaced with two new figures—Shizuru and my dad.

I groaned internally at seeing my dad, especially since he was frowning. My dad never frowned unless he was irritated, which he undeniably was this evening.

"There you are! I told you not to go run off!" Goten said. "What happened? What was that energy?"

"It was Kuwabara. Yusuke went after him and sent me back here in case things took a turn for the dangerous," I said.

"Good for him," Dad said. Now he was glaring at me. Goku Son, the world's most happy-go-lucky person was actually glaring at me in disapproval. I was definitely getting punched through a wall tonight, lack of energy be damned.

"So, Daddy, how about you yell at me outside and not in here where people can continue to watch my downward spiral into humiliation," I said leading him out onto Yusuke's balcony. I closed the sliding glass door behind myself and looked back up at my dad.

His arms were crossed, he was frowning and there was some serious disappointment in his eyes.

"About what happened with Trunks, I'm really sorry," I started. Dad raised a hand to silence me and I sighed. I was not talking my way out of trouble, not today.

"When did you suddenly turn into this girl who doesn't listen to things that we tell you to do?" Dad asked. "I asked you not to fight regular humans and you make your mom mad by hitting some girl and getting kicked out of school. And then I tell you to stay out of trouble and be with someone who's going to keep you safe and you disappear without telling anyone, worrying everyone and then you turn back up hurt and then today you run off knowing there are people out there looking to kill you, again, without a word to anyone after we told you to stay put."

I was trying very hard not to feel as irritated as I did because I knew I was in the wrong, but I didn't like being lectured. If my dad were some teacher at school I'd have blown him off already.

"And then Trunks pops up in your room where he shouldn't be when he shouldn't be there—and then Chichi yelled at me and I didn't even do anything wrong," he went on.

"I'm sorry, Dad," I said. "What else do you want me to say or do? I can't go back in time and change what happened."

"Stop acting like it's not a big deal," Dad said sternly. "What if Hiei hadn't been there to save you? What if that was you out there getting attacked instead of Kuwabara? And don't stand there act like I don't know where babies come from, Kairi. I have three kids. I know where babies come from and you are too young to be having babies."

"Nothing happened with Trunks. I wasn't going to let anything happen with Trunks," I said. "You have to-."

"Trust you?" Dad put in quickly. Either Mom had given him a heads up on what I was going to say or he was actually very angry. "How are we supposed to trust you? You're always off somewhere doing something for Spirit World and you go to school so far away. We don't know what you're getting into most of the time, but we trust you to be smart and all of a sudden. . . It seems like you're not."

"You can trust me. What happened with Trunks yesterday wasn't intentional, at least on my part. I didn't call him to come over. He just showed up and it won't happen again, especially since he probably hates me now," I said.

"Why would Trunks hate you?" Dad asked.

"It doesn't matter," I said shaking my head. The last thing I wanted my dad involved in was my romantic life. "And as for me getting into trouble, I'm sorry about that too. Rei just makes me really mad and now that she's out of my life I shouldn't get into too much trouble at school anymore, and as for me continually running off I can't help it. I can't stay put and have someone babysit me. I'm used to taking care of myself and when I get the urge to just get up and go or when I find out one of my friends is in trouble I can't help but run off to the rescue. It's what I do."

"I know," Dad said with a sigh. "It's because you take after me."

I nodded.

"But you're a lot smarter than me and you get into almost as much trouble, and since you can't use your energy right now I can't believe you'd run off into danger without thinking," he said. "I am very disappointed in you."

My dad had told me that I made him proud a lot, but this was the first time I'd ever disappointed him that I could recall. I felt like him punching me through that wall would be less painful than hearing him say that.

"Your mom wanted me to bring you home, but you are in the middle of a mission and your partners are all here anyway, so I talked her out of it," Dad said. "But. . . Spirit World is more than capable of finding you at home if they ever need you like they always do. if you mess up again. Then you'll get to be home schooled like Gohan."

Homeschooling? They were threatening to home school me? Things certainly had taken a turn for the serious.

"You have my word that I will not be stepping out of line anytime soon," I said. "Promise."

"Good," Dad said patting me on the head. "So. . . What exactly is Spirit World getting you into this time?"

I chuckled. "Oh, Dad. Craziness. Armageddon. The end of days and all that jazz. You'll want to stay close by. Things might take a turn for the worst. We're talking demons more powerful than Majin Buu."

I slowly explained the whole ordeal of the tunnel to my dad, much to his horror.

"And you only have a week?" he asked.

I nodded. "Sadly. And none of us knows what to do. We're just kind of playing the waiting game. Those psychics are going to show their faces sooner or later. And we know they will. But I don't like them having so much control over the situation. Usually the ball is in my court."

Dad shrugged. "I guess you'll have to put it there won't you?"

I shrugged. "I guess I will. I just haven't figured out how to do that yet."

I heard the front door to the apartment open and in walked Yusuke, Botan, and Kurama, carrying armfuls of people with them—Kuwabara, his friends, and a blond boy I didn't recognize.

I opened the sliding glass door and walked back into the living room.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"So this guy," Yusuke said pointing, "is Seaman, who, according to Kuwabara, using blood and water can create little water demons and apparently he stuck Kuwabara and the rest of these idiots in one and tried to drown them."

". . . And he's here because?" I asked.

"Kuwabara brought him," Kurama said.

"Apparently, as if we didn't already know, this kid is fucked up in the head so even after he tried to drown Kuwabara, he still said that he couldn't kill him because Kuwabara is better than that," Yusuke said. "And now I have put him in my room and let him sleep in my bed and all sorts of bullshit."

"Oh, stupid, noble Kuwabara," I said.

"Not really in the habit of taking prisoners are you?" Kurama asked.

"No. Don't recall ever having done that. But I guess since Mister Seaman is here, we might as well find out what he knows," I said. "I think we just got a lead, boys."

888

We all stayed at Yusuke's house overnight. Kurama skillfully developed a drink that wiped the memory of Kuwabara's friends so they wouldn't remember anything that happened to them after the concert.

My dad had gone and Trunks had returned, much to my dismay. The awkwardness of the situation still hadn't gone away.

I sat out on the balcony with Yusuke and Kurama while we waited for Kuwabara and Seaman to wake after what they'd been through the day before.

". . . You know. . . Keiko and Goten told us what happened yesterday," Yusuke said.

"Did they now?" I asked. "So I bet you also think I'm a hateful bitch now."

"I think you may've phrased it better, but at least you've finally told him the truth. I officially remove the title of Emotional Terrorist from you," Kurama said.

"Thanks," I said with a sigh.

"I'd think you'd be relieved," Yusuke said.

"I am a little. I guess, I feel a little less guilty now that I've told him everything, but I also feel like, sad," I said.

"Because you liked him and now, for lack of a better term, you broke up," Kurama said. "Perfectly normal."

I sighed. "I also feel like kind of a jackass for doing this to him over someone like Hiei who I can already feel in my gut was not worth it."

"Well, that's stupid. If you already know Hiei's a jackass why even bother?" Yusuke asked.

"You're a piece of shit and Keiko still likes you doesn't she?" I asked.

Yusuke nodded. "That's fair."

"But unlike you, Hiei lacks adequate communication skills," I said.

"Well you like him and he likes you. Boom. That simple," Yusuke said.

"I liked Trunks forever and look at us now. I know for a fact that it is not that simple," I said. "Besides, Hiei never actually admitted that he liked me."

"He never denied it either," Kurama said.

"Yeah, but not denying something doesn't automatically make it and affirmation either does it?" I asked.

"It does if your name is Hiei," Yusuke said.

I rolled my eyes. "I've also realized that there's something else completely problematic as far as my liking him goes."

"What would that be?" Yusuke asked.

"I'm a human. He barely likes us at all because we're humans," I said.

"Oh, come on. Something stupid like that wouldn't bother him would it?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, it most definitely would bother him," Kurama said. "And if we're right and he actually does have feelings for Kairi it's probably a very large issue."

"Hiei doesn't even admit aloud that we're his friends. He always calls us his allies or whatever," I said. "And how many times has he referred to us as-?"

"Worthless humans?" Yusuke asked. "Yeah. I can see why liking you might cause him to have some kind of weird identity crisis. But hey, it's not your fault you're so damn attractive."

I laughed. "Thank you for that."

"I'm here to stroke your ego whenever you need me," Yusuke said.

I sighed. "I think Hiei would rather shoot himself in the foot than admit that he likes anyone, especially a human girl who works for Spirit World who throws shoes at his head and calls him Cunty McCunterson."

"Cunty McCunterson?" Kurama asked. "Seriously?"

"I was angry. It just came out," I said.

"And you wonder why he might have a problem admitting his true feelings for you—shocking," Kurama said.

"How many times am I going to have to tell you to fuck off before you stop being an asshole?" I asked.

"Impossible to tell," Kurama said. "Your troubles with Hiei aside, how are things with you and Trunks going to proceed?"

I glanced into the living room where Trunks was currently talking to Keiko and Goten.

"I'm pretty sure he hates me and wants to eviscerate Hiei and hang him up by his entrails," I said.

"So, you're not going to be friendly anytime soon?" Yusuke asked.

"No, I don't think so," I said with a sigh. "Did I tell you my parents threatened to put me in homeschooling yesterday?"

"What for?" Yusuke asked.

Kurama chuckled.

"I swear to Dende-sama, Suichi, I will punch you in the face," I said.

"Hilarious story—the night you got attacked at the hospital Kairi got caught with Trunks in her room at one on the morning," Kurama said.

"What a moron. What kind of guy actually gets caught?" Yusuke asked. "I sneak into Keiko's house at night all of the time and I never get caught. Sometimes I actually stay the night."

"Well clearly Trunks is lacking in the stealth department," I said.

"And wouldn't you know it, but stealth is Hiei's forte. He could sneak into your room all the time and even Kurama would never know," Yusuke said.

"And suddenly, I'm completely horrified," Kurama said.

"Anything could happen, Kurama," Yusuke said. "He's already seen her naked twice."

"Don't remind me," Kurama said.

"Wait—Hiei's only seen me naked once," I said.

Kurama and Yusuke exchanged and then looked back to me.

"Yes, Kairi, you're right. Hiei has only ever seen you in the nude exactly one time," Kurama said.

Yusuke was trying to restrain a laugh and starting to go red in the face.

"When did he see me naked a second time?" I asked.

"Look, it's not really important. It was so brief," Kurama said.

"More brief than when he saw me naked the first time?" I asked.

". . . All right, so maybe not _that _brief," Kurama said.

"Kurama," I started, "Hiei only saw me naked for about five second the first time. What the hell happened?"

"Well. . . We'd all gone down to the lobby to get you your cake and your sausage that night after we got back from the stadium, but Hiei didn't want to be involved in our little expedition so he stayed in the room with Goku," Kurama said.

"Uh, huh," I said.

"And while we were all downstairs Goku was getting you all cleaned up," Kurama said. "Apparently, Hiei was just sitting in the common room when Goku called him into the room. Hiei assumed that you were already dressed and that whatever your dad wanted of him was completely mundane. . . But he assumed incorrectly."

"Hiei saw _everything_," Yusuke laughed. "I mean everything."

"But. . . But. . . But Hiei said-."

"That Goten and Gohan helped Goku? No. That was a lie we all invented to spare you," Kurama said.

"I just. . . I don't understand. . . Why would my dad-?"

"Ask for Hiei's help?" Kurama asked. "His exact words were 'well he'd already seen her naked before so I figured what's the harm.'"

I facepalmed myself. I was beginning to strongly suspect that my dad was more upset with the fact that I'd kept disappearing than the fact that Trunks was in my room. I needed to teach him about personal boundaries.

"If it makes you feel any better I've never seen Hiei more embarrassed," Kurama said.

"But if he didn't like you before then I'm betting that after seeing you he changed his mind," Yusuke said.

I buried my face in my hands. "I cannot believe this."

"Yeah, you've got the worst luck," Yusuke said. "And Hiei apparently has all of the luck."

"I'm not going to be able to look him in the eye ever again. I was just getting over the fact he saw me naked when Toguro came after me," I said. "This is horrible."

"It's only horrible for you," Yusuke said. "Well, maybe it is horrible for Hiei too because it probably only makes his identity crisis worse. He's probably thinking that yes you're human, yes you're Spirit Detective, but you've also got great tits."

I smacked Yusuke in the back of the head as hard as I could.

"Hey!" Yusuke scolded me. "That was a compliment."

"Fuck you, perv," I said. "Honestly how did-."

My sentence was interrupted as images flashed into my vision again. This time I was underwater water. I broke through the surface and called out to Yusuke, but I could feel myself sinking back under. A hand grabbed me and pulled me up again and I called out for Yusuke once more.

I came back from the vision blinking rapidly with Yusuke and Kurama staring at me with perplexed looks on their faces.

"You all right? You just zoned out on us," Yusuke said.

". . . You've just predicted something again haven't you?" Kurama said.

"Yeah," I said playing it back in my head. "It doesn't make any sense though."

"What was it?" Kurama asked.

". . . Water. I was underwater. And I get to the surface and I call for you," I said looking to Yusuke. "But then I sink back under. Someone pulls me out. . ."

"Me?" Yusuke asked.

"I don't think so, because when I come out of the water I call out for you again," I said. "And there's something else too."

"What?" Kurama asked.

"Fear. Whatever's happening I'm scared, but it's more like an anxiety kind of fear. Like something bad is happening and I can't stop it," I said.

"That's. . . Unsettling," Yusuke said.

"I've never had such nonspecific visions before," I said."If someone was going to get murdered I knew it, if we were going to get attacked I knew it, if someone was going to accidentally be impaled by a narwhal I knew."

"Wait, what? Who got impaled by a narwhal," Yusuke said.

"Just this one bitch I used to hang out with. Her name was Yuka. She was my assistant before Botan. She doesn't talk to me anymore," I said. "Not after the narwhal. But in all fairness I warned her."

"You're weird," Yusuke said.

"Sorry to interrupt your fun," Shizuru said stepping out onto the balcony, "but our little friend is waking up."


	13. The Birth of a Spirit Detective

_[A⁄N: I'm aware that usually Seaman goes by his last name, but as a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender, I can't really pass up calling him Kiyoshi.]_

"It's weird that we're actually about to go an interrogate someone. Makes me feel like an actual detective," Yusuke said. "We should do good cop bad cop on him."

"Ooh! I get to be bad cop! I've always wanted to say 'shut up, dirt bag' to a perp," I said.

"And while you two are playing your little game I'm going to be asking all of the important questions," Kurama said.

"You're such a downer," I said as we walked into Yusuke's room. I sat on the foot of the bed where the boy was sleeping. Yusuke pulled up a desk chair and Kurama stood next to him. Botan stood in front of the bookcase by the window with the briefcase clutched tightly in her hands. With curious looks on their faces, Trunks, Goten, Keiko, and Shizuru joined us as well.

The boy finally sat up and stared around at us.

"Yo," I said.

"Where. . . Where am I?" the boy asked.

"You're in my room sleeping in my bed thanks to this idiot over here," Yusuke said motioning to Kuwabara.

"He. . . He saved me?" Seaman asked. "But why would he do that? I tried to kill him."

"I was curious about that myself. So I asked him. I said 'Kuwabara, what did you save that guys for?' And you know what he said? He said 'when a real man does what's right, it's not always about what he wants,'" Yusuke said.

"After your encounter Kuwabara brought you back here. We healed you and erased his friend's memories so that they would not have to know the darker truths of the world," Kurama said. "And now we suggest you start talking."

"Why should I?" he asked.

"Because Kuwabara spared your life and your little team left you there to get killed by him," I said. "Obviously they don't give a sit about you. We don't even know you and we're going out of our way. Don't throw this all this hospitality in our faces and tell us everything you know, dirt bag."

"Good job, bad cop," Yusuke said to me with an approving nod.

"How about we start with your name," Kurama said.

"Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi Mitarai," he said.

"All right, Kiyoshi, let's ask another question. . . Why do you want to kill all humans?" Yusuke asked.

"Because we deserve to die!" he shouted.

"Okay, calm the fuck down," I said.

"But don't you understand. . . We're horrible. Humans are the worst sort of creatures around," Kiyoshi said.

"I'll give it to you that people suck sometimes, but I think wanting to kill everyone is a little bit harsh," Goten said.

"That's because you haven't seen what I've seen," Kiyoshi said in a low voice.

". . . What did you see?" I asked.

"It was a video. . . Called Chapter Black," he said.

I jumped to my feet in shock. "You're serious? Chapter Black? _The _Chapter Black?"

"So you've seen it?" Kurama asked.

"Every minute of it," Kiyoshi said.

I sat back down. Suddenly I understood why he was so messed up and why he wanted to kill all humans.

"All of the death. All of the murder. Families being marched into death camps, men on horses riding out and burning down entire villages, children being killed in front of their parents or parents being killed in front of their children, women being raped and murder, soldiers laughing over the bodies of their victims," Kiyoshi explained. I could hear the terror in his voice, the fear, the disgusts, and the sadness.

A knot had formed in my chest and my throat was tightening. On the other side of the room Keiko was sniffling. Shizuru quietly pulled her from the room.

"All right. . . But not everyone is like that," Yusuke said.

"You only believe that because you were born in a peaceful time. After watching Chapter Black I know for sure that humanity is doomed," he said. "I'm no better a person than anyone on that tape and no human can be."

"People can be better than that. People are better than that. People like Kuwabara who just saved your ass for instance," I said. "And this whole cause you've joined up with is just a bunch of hypocritical bullshit. I mean, you're disgusted with the fact humans are so cruel to each other and here you are trying to eradicate all of us, to murder billions and billions of people like it makes you any better."

"I always believed that I was one of the victims on that tape, whose house was being burned down or who family was being killed. . . But when I'd go to sleep at night in my nightmares I was the one doing all of those horrible things," Kiyoshi said. And then he dissolved into tears.

Looked over at the boys who'd felt the room get incredibly awkward. Goten and Trunks quietly scooted from the room.

I reached out and hugged Kiyoshi.

"Sorry for invading your personal space, but you looked like you could use a hug," I said. "Now stop crying. Put on your big boy pants and pull yourself together. We'll be back. You just relax."

I got up from the bed and walked out of the room.

"Keiko was over by the front door slipping on her shoes.

"Where are you headed?" Yusuke said.

"I was going to get some more bandages for him," Keiko said. "I'll be right back."

Keiko walked out of the front door, Puu cradled in her arms as always.

Kurama and Yusuke then walked back onto the balcony with me.

"It's really weird learning all this," Yusuke said. "I mean, I see shit every night on the six o'clock news that pisses me off, but I can't imagine seeing a tape of humanities all time worst."

"I'll say. Just hearing about it makes my stomach turn," I said.

"It's said that Chapter Black is supposed to run for hours and hours showing nothing but images of the most despicable things that humans have ever done, barring nothing. They say that watching as little as thirty minutes of it could turn a man against his own kind," Kurama said. "There was a time when both Hiei and I wanted to possess it."

Yusuke and I both glared at Kurama.

"Past tense," Kurama said.

"Still, it kind of makes you wonder if we're fighting on the right side," Yusuke said.

"The capacity for evil is but one ingredient in the human soul," Kurama said.

"Well put," I said. "Besides, I know we can't be all bad. Humans have done some really fucked up shit. But humans aren't the only race that's notorious for being awful."

"It's true. Demons are also very keen on violence and torture, maybe even more so than humans," Kurama said.

"And then look at the Saiyans who turned genocide into a business," I said. "But the Saiyans didn't deserve to be wiped out just like humanity doesn't deserve it. It just needs more people like us who want humans to do better."

"Very insightful," Kurama said.

"Anyway, where did you get off to yesterday?" I asked.

"I went to Spirit World to see Koenma," Kurama said. "I had a feeling that he might know the actual identity of the man behind this scheme."

"And he didn't right?" Yusuke asked.

". . . It seems that Koenma does know is identity," Kurama said.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Yusuke and I were in the living room with Botan's briefcase.

"Earth to Toddler Bitch!" Yusuke shouted to the screen before Koenma popped up.

"Oh, hello detectives," Koenma said.

"Don't play games with us you lying snake in the grass. You know who's behind this?" I asked.

Koenma sighed. "Yes, Kairi, I'm afraid that I do."

"Well why the hell didn't you tell us?" Yusuke shouted.

"I had to make sure of something first and after hearing Kiyoshi's story I feel that I know with confidence who is behind this," Koenma said. "Kairi, this is not something I've determined lightly."

My heart seized up in my chest. Why was he addressing me directly?

"It's not like. . . Someone I know is it?" I asked.

"No, not personally, but I fear that the truth will still upset you," Koenma said.

"Well come out with it already," Yusuke said. "Kairi's a big girl. She can take it."

". . . His name is Shinobu Sensui," Koenma said.

I stopped breathing for a moment. I knew that name. I knew that name very well.

"That's not true. . . You tell me right now that that's not true, Koenma," I said.

". . . I'll be there within the hour to discuss the matter further," Koenma said.

I closed the briefcase and got to my feet. Everything suddenly felt upside down. It couldn't be true. Sensui couldn't be the one behind all of this. It was impossible.

"Kairi. . . Who is Shinobu Sensui?" Kurama asked.

I swallowed hard and looked outside to the street.

"I was his replacement. . . Shinobu Sensui was Spirit Detective before me," I said.

I flopped down onto the couch.

"You mean the guy that's out there right now trying to kill everyone used to be a Spirit Detective?" Yusuke asked.

"That's what Koenma said," I said.

"I think we'd better go wake up Kuwabara for this one," Trunks said walking back to Yusuke's room.

"What do you know about him?" Yusuke asked sitting down next to me.

"Enough to know that we're in a really bad situation," I said.

Kuwabara suddenly leapt into the room.

"What do you mean the guy was a Spirit Detective?" he exclaimed.

"Sit down," I said to him. I felt so heavy now.

"At least we know now why he knew who I was," Yusuke said. "If he used to be Spirit Detective he obviously looked into his replacements."

"I've looked in on him too," I said. "From what I know from his record, he was very spiritually aware from a young age, a lot like you, Kuwabara, except, he wasn't just able to see demons, he could destroy them as well. It's not shocking that Spirit World picked him up."

"What do you know of his time as Spirit Detective?" Kurama asked.

"He was good. Really good. He was successful every time he got sent out to do anything. And his skills as a fighter were very impressive too," I said.

"Well, why'd they switch him out for a kid like you?" Yusuke asked.

"I didn't get the job until three years after Sensui disappeared," I said.

"He disappeared?" Kuwabara asked.

I nodded. "It doesn't say what happened in his file and Koenma always made a point to not tell me, maybe because he was afraid that it'd make me leave too. But there was something about his last mission that. . . Something that made him snap."

"He snapped?" Goten asked.

"Apparently he went all crazy or something. I don't know for sure," I said. "But whatever happened during his last mission screwed him up and one day he just disappeared and no one has seen or heard from him until now."

"That's cryptic," Trunks said.

I nodded. "But there is something. . ."

"What?" Yusuke asked.

"I asked Koenma once why he made me Spirit Detective," I said. "And he said that it was because I could see gray."

"Gray?" Botan asked.

"Like, I knew there was a gray area or something, that I know that not everything is black and white," I said. "He said that Sensui left because he couldn't see gray."

"Could that be it?" Yusuke asked.

"Perhaps during his last mission Sensui saw something that caused him to question whether or not the good he was protecting was good at all," Kurama said.

"But Kairi was so young when she started. You wouldn't have been able to make that kind of distinction yourself," Botan said.

I got to my feet and stretched. "Yeah, I could. I could definitely see a gray area between good and bad when I was a kid."

I walked away from my friend and back out onto the balcony. I sat up on the railing and looked down at all the people. I felt there was a huge dark cloud hanging over me now. Shinobu Sensui had been a great Spirit Detective just like me. He'd been someone who'd dedicated his life to protecting people and now suddenly he was our enemy. It made me feel sick.

Yusuke stepped out onto the balcony and closed the sliding glass door behind him.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I think I'll feel better once I get an explanation," I said. "I mean, nothing makes wanting to eradicate all of the humanity okay, but if I could just understand what lead him to this I might. . . I might not feel. . ."

"What?" Yusuke asked.

"Being Spirit Detective is my life, Yusuke. I live it and breathe it every day and when we don't have an assignment I'm sitting at home going crazy until we get one," I said. "This is everything to me. Hearing that it might've been what led Sensui to this just. . . It taints it a little for me."

Yusuke nodded. "I keep forgetting how much you love this stupid job. And don't get me wrong, I don't mind the cosmic brownie points I get for helping out, but it's tough. Most of the time I think it might actually just be easier to go back to life the way it was before—when I was just beating up random kids on the street and skipping school."

"It's the people, Yusuke. It's the people that make me love this job. And not just when we get sent to protect humans, but I keep everyone safe, even apparitions like Yukina," I said. "Everyone gets to be safe."

". . . Why did you want to be Spirit Detective?" Yusuke asked.

"Why do you wanna know?" I asked.

"You mention it every once in a while, always jokingly, and you never stay on the subject for too long," Yusuke said. "And then you asked about Majin Buu when you wanted to know how powerful he was and I've never seen you look so. . . Afraid."

"And rightly so," I said.

"That's what I mean. This whole mission has had you freaked out from the very beginning and I don't know why," Yusuke said. "And now especially with Sensui in the mix I just feel like you have to tell me. Why did you want to get into this whole business as a kid?"

Yusuke was my best friend and my partner and yet he didn't know the truth behind why I'd become Spirit Detective.

"Do you remember when the World Martial Arts Tournament happened last?" I asked.

Yusuke nodded. "It was your eighth birthday and you wouldn't shut up about it."

"I know. I was excited. That was the first time I met my dad," I said.

"Right, because he was dead before then," Yusuke said.

I nodded. "During the tournament, everything was all fine and normal until these two guys showed up. They were at the tournament stealing energy from people. We followed them to find out why and it turned out that this guy, Babidi, was trying to get this energy to revive this creature called Majin Buu."

"And I'm guessing he succeeded," Yusuke said.

I nodded. "I was an idiot kid at the time and I didn't stay put when I was told to and ended up getting killed for my trouble, but they revived me with the Dragon Balls. After that, Majin Buu had been revived and killed Babidi because he wasn't a creature that could be controlled. And he was so powerful. Nothing anyone did could stop him. And he just kept getting stronger every time we got close. He started out as this huge fat pink bubblegum monster, but then he like expelled his evilness from his body and the evilness gobbled up his good side and then he turned into this Super Buu and he. . . He killed everyone. He killed almost every single person on the entire planet. And then, by means I don't really want to explain, he absorbed the rest of us. And we got into his head and we fucked some shit up because he said without it he wouldn't be himself anymore, but that backfired and we just ended up putting him in his purest most unadulterated form of evil.

"He looked like a little kid and as soon as he saw us he looked so amused. And charged up this ball of energy and it just became obvious that he. . . He wasn't trying to kill us. That ball of energy was meant for the planet. Buu was unstoppable. So unstoppable. He just destroyed Earth like it was nothing and he laughed about it. We barely managed to get away. . . Everything was just gone. Everyone was dead. It was like some horrible nightmare that I couldn't wake up from and I'd just watched my brothers and my mom and my friends all get murdered right in front of me and then I saw my home completely wiped out of existence," I said.

I wiped tears from my eyes as I recalled the horrible story. The story I didn't like to tell in full because most of the time I liked to pretend it hadn't happened at all.

"Holy shit," Yusuke said.

"In the end we got in contact with Namek and they wished the Earth and everyone back and using the combined energy from the people of Earth and Namek and a few other planetary neighbors we managed to gather enough energy to destroy Buu completely," I said. "And then I got to go home and everything was there: the plants, the animals, the blue sky, and the people. All of the people were there too. And I wanted to keep it that way. I didn't care what I had to do as long as it meant that I never ever had to live through something like that again. And I still stand by that."

Yusuke nodded. "It makes a lot of things about you make sense. I guess you really meant it when you said childhood trauma builds character."

I chuckled, wiping the few remaining streaks of tears from my face. "I guess it can make some people crazy though can't it?"

"I think that after going through all of that you can still look on the Brightside of life and be happy that there's hope for everyone," Yusuke said.

We glanced inside and saw that Koenma had arrived.

"Even if that guy used to be Spirit Detective we can still kick his ass right?" Yusuke asked. "We're the newer upgraded models. We're better because we can handle this job and he couldn't."

"I hope you're right," I said sliding down from the railing. Yusuke walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. "This is weird."

"Don't fight it. Don't fight it," Yusuke said. "You looked like you could use a hug."


	14. The Fallen Spirit Detective

_[A⁄N: Kind of changed the way Sensui's technique works to better mesh it with the Dragon Ball universe. I'm sure you understand. Don't forget to review!]_

Yusuke and I joined the rest of our team in the dining room, sitting at his small table. Koenma was back in his teenager form and had a quiet, somber look on his face. Clearly I wasn't the only one this mission was getting to.

"So, I'm assuming Kairi's already filled you in on the details of who Shinobu Sensui is," Koenma said.

"I must admit, finding out that this scheme was concocted by a former Spirit Detective is disconcerting," Kurama said.

"I already told them about his abilities and that he just disappeared, but I suspect his reason for leaving might be the reason he's returned," I said.

"I think you would be right, Kairi," Koenma said. "Sensui was a very talented boy who was very attuned to the Spirit World which made him an ideal candidate for Spirit Detective. He always did his job perfectly, never leaving any unfinished business. There was only one downfall to Sensui. He had no gray area."

"And by that you mean what?" I asked.

"Sensui had a very defined sense of what was good and evil. Demons were bad and humans were good," Koenma said.

"But that's. . . Stupid," Yusuke said.

"Exactly. Having such a well defined since of right and wrong was bad for Sensui. I blame myself for not seeing it," Koenma said.

"So, if Sensui had such a good image of humans before, what drove him over the edge to decide that we should all be eradicated?" I asked.

". . . During his last mission ten years ago, I ordered Sensui to. . . Close a tunnel," Koenma said.

The room fell into a shocked silence.

"So he's using his last mission now to try and destroy all of us. Creative," I said.

"Yes, but the tunnel I had ordered Sensui to close was created under much different circumstances. It took seven psychics to maintain it, the strongest around they thought, it was only ten meters wide and there was no threat of expansion," Koenma said. "But it didn't allow safe passage for all demons. It was a trap organized by the young Black Black Club. They captured the demons that squeezed through and sold them at an enormous profit."

"Those are the dirt bags who watched us while we rescued Yukina," Kuwabara said.

"And one newcomer had just worked his way into the group by proving his talent for capturing demons," Koenma said. "Sakyo."

"You mean he was already starting stuff when I was getting kicked out of kindergarten?" Yusuke asked.

"Today's there's a multi-million dollar industry that exist for humans to have demon bodyguards and Sakkyo began it all," Koenma said.

"We received intelligence that a huge transaction would be taking place and all key members of the demon trade industry would be present. If we could get in and stop them we could bring the demon trade to its knees," Koenma said. "The raid was successful. Sensui and his partner Itsuki were very skilled and managed to get inside and take the Black Black Club by surprise. Too much by surprise even, because on that night Sensui saw something he never should have seen."

"Something he never should've seen?" Kuwabara asked. "Like what?"

"Yeah, don't make me use the running vagueness joke," Yusuke said

"It was a reckless show of indulgence in humanities darkest side," Koenma said. "A ritualistic party they called the Feast of Human Vices."

"Why does that make my skin crawl?" Trunks asked.

"It should. These humans were torturing demons with no other motivation than for their own twisted pleasure," Koenma said.

"That's totally barbaric," I said.

"Yes, as you can image. It's horrible to hear about, image what it would be like for a man like Sensui to see it," Koenma said. "He'd sworn his life to protect humans from demons and here he saw humans enacting cruelties on demons a thousand times worse than anything he'd seen from a human. Black and white blurred. And his world flipped upside down. He lived his life on the straight and narrow. This change went against everything he knew."

"Kind of like how we felt when we went to rescue Yukina and saw what they were doing to her," Kuwabara said.

"Yes, except there's a most important difference between your reaction and his," Koenma said.

"So what did he do?" I asked.

"He flew into a rage and murdered every human at that feast," Koenma said. "Something in him fractured that day. He became obsessed with the Chapter Black tape and one day they both disappeared. Maybe Sensui was too dedicated to his cause, too hard a worker. He dedicated himself entirely to the purging of evil. Then he came to question the sanctity of the human race itself and now he wants the life of every human as atonement for their collective sins."

"And that's why he's opening the tunnel—to unleash the punishment," Genkai said.

"See Grandma, that's why I half ass everything. If you don't take yourself too seriously and you won't turn into a fanatic," Yusuke said.

"Precisely why I chose you after Sensui failed. I wanted someone who wouldn't think too much," Koenma said.

"Yes, of course!" Kurama exclaimed.

"Don't be too quick to defend me," Yusuke growled at him.

"Sorry," Kurama chuckled.

"All right, so you picked Yusuke because he's a moron. Why'd you pick an eight-year-old kid like me?" I asked.

"Probably because he used Dad as an indicator of your future behavior," Goten said.

"Eh, no," Koenma said. "The reason I picked Kairi as a child was because she was, in fact, a child. Children are very impressionable. Her sense of right and wrong was still developing so she would learn to ask questions rather just accept the things that she already knew. Additionally the fact that she'd already seen things that no other person should ever have to see decreased the likelihood of her ever having to go through the same ordeal that Sensui had."

"I guess after hearing that your entire species was destroyed and then seeing all of humanity wiped there isn't really much that can surprise me," I said.

"It seems you were the ideal candidate for Spirit Detective," Kurama said.

"Apparently," I said.

"I don't know what Sensui has been up to these past ten years or why he's waited until now to strike. I led myself to believe that he'd gone crazy and was harmless, but I should've tracked him better. The one thing that I do know about Sensui is that he won't stop until he's accomplished his goal."

Just as the words were coming out his mouth we sensed someone outside. We turned and looked out of the window thought the balcony. There standing on the building across the street were Sensui and Sniper.

"It's them," I exclaimed as Yusuke, Kurama and I dashed over to the sliding glass door.

"He's listening," Yusuke said.

Sensui nodded to Sniper next to him who held up his hand. Obviously ready to shoot something horrible at us, but then he shifted ever so slightly so that he was no longer aiming at us.

"They're after Kiyoshi!" Kuwabara exclaimed. He jumped out of his chair and ran into Yusuke's room just as Sniper started shooting.

Then Sensui turned and started speaking to Sniper.

"What I wouldn't give to know what stupid bedazzled forehead was saying," Yusuke said.

"He's saying that he let Seaman go to follow him to us," Kurama said.

"Whoa, you can actually hear them?" Goten asked.

"No exactly," Kurama said.

"It's called reading lips. You might want to try it sometime," Genkai said.

Sensui began talking again.

"He said that the one they needed is among us," Kurama said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

Sniper continued shooting into the apartment and Kuwabara came running out of Yusuke's room and out the front door.

"Where are you going?" I called after him, turning on my heel to follow.

"What are both of you idiots doing? Haven't you learned anything?" Yusuke shouted taking off after us. "You're like ugly singers with good voices—best for backup."

"Things are different now, Urameshi. I'm different," Kuwabara said as the three of us ran downstairs.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"I got a new power. It's how I beat Kiyoshi," Kuwabara said.

"What kind of power?" Yusuke asked.

"I don't know. It just feels really different. I got all desperate and it just came out of me. A new kind of sword and I just knocked away his powers with one shot," Kuwabara said.

We ran out into the street and found Sensui and Sniper standing there.

"That was fast," I said.

"Let's do this," Yusuke said.

Sensui then held up two fingers.

"What the hell? Love and peace?" Yusuke asked.

"No. He's making a 'V' for victory before we've even started," Kuwabara said.

"Maybe try the number two," I said rolling my eyes.

"Correct, Detective Kairi Son. Two days until the tunnel opens," Sensui said.

"What?" Yusuke exclaimed.

"Are you surprised, Detective Yusuke Urameshi? Did you think you had more time?" Sensui said.

"A little bird from Spirit World said we still had a full week," Yusuke said.

"I'm sure you've learned that you can't trust Spirit World intelligence," Sensui said. "We made some leaps forward last night."

Genkai, Kurama, Koenma, Trunks, and Goten finally joined us.

"Yo, Sensui," Koenma said.

"Koenma. It's been a while," Sensui said.

"I hope that's not all you have to say to me," Koenma said.

Coming up the street to the right of us was Keiko. She stopped just at the corner of the building, obviously sensing that something was happened. She slowly crept forward and stared at us all.

"What's going on?" she asked in little more than a whisper.

"Get back against the wall, now," Yusuke said quietly and sternly.

Keiko did as instructed, still unsure of what was happening, but knowing that her safety was at risk.

"You too," Yusuke said to me.

I scoffed. "I'm not going anywhere. We're partners remember? I've got your back even when I'm useless. You just make sure you get him so I don't have to. I don't want a repeat of Toguro."

"Don't worry about it, Kairi. This one's mine," Kuwabara said.

"Don't be a moron. You'll live like I tell you," Yusuke said.

"What? Didn't you hear what I said?" Kuwabara complained.

"Your defeat of Seaman was admirable, but you are injured and in no shape to fight," Kurama said.

"He's right," Genkai said.

Kuwabara scoffed, but ultimately backed off.

"Keep your distance, Yusuke. It's no cake wall for you either," Koenma said. "I started him off too. He can store up his Spirit Energy and fire it just like you."

"So he's got the same technique as Urameshi," Kuwabara said.

"How strong is he?" Trunks asked.

"Can't say," Koenma replied.

"There's no way to tell what he's learned in the last ten years," I said.

"Then any initial contact will be a gamble," Kurama said.

"Are you listening to all this Urameshi?" Kuwabara growled at him.

Yusuke smirked. "Sounds like fun."

"Kick his ass you cocky son of a bitch," I said.

Yusuke nodded and slowly made his way toward Sensui.

"Afternoon, Detective Sensui," Yusuke said. "Rumor is you snapped. You could only deal with the baby stuff."

"To the contrary. I'm here to lead you down the path of righteousness," Sensui said.

"I'm gonna stop you, freak," Yusuke said.

"You will fail," Sensui said.

Yusuke wasted no time powering up to attack and Sensui did too. Yusuke took off running toward Sensui to take him head on, at the last second he shuffled to the right catching Sensui off guard. Yusuke went in with a punch, but somehow, Sensui saw it in time, blocked it and kicked Yusuke in the face. Yusuke went flying backwards and stopped himself.

"Let's try that again," Yusuke said, undeterred.

He ran at Sensui again, going in for a punch. Once again, Sensui blocked Yusuke punch like it was nothing, kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying out of sight.

"That technique. . ." Goten said.

We all ran up to get a better view. Yusuke was lying on the ground in front of a crushed street sign.

"Get yourself off the ground, Urameshi! You'll never defeat him like that!" Kuwabara shouted.

"As I thought. The two detectives are too much alike," Kurama said. "What Yusuke is doing now is akin to fighting his own reflection. He anticipates Yusuke every move as something he would do; only he's one step ahead."

"You're not wrong. And it's thanks to his Reshuyuken style," Genkai said.

"Ah! I knew I'd seen it before. It's a type of martial arts that relies on fast footwork. You don't move at all. You just divert attacks with your arms and then kick the crap out of your opponent," Goten said. "This is bad. Yusuke's gonna be in trouble."

"Yes. There are very stringent rules governing the teaching of that technique. One can only learn it after they've mastered every other technique," Genkai said.

"So what you two are saying is that in the past ten years he's managed to learn _everything._ Awesome," I said.

"Good of you to notice the Reshuyuken technique," he said charging a ball of energy in his hand. "But this is a technique that's entirely my own. It's my own special mix of ki and Spirit Energy."

"Spirit energy and ki? Remarkable," Kurama said.

Sensui tossed the ball of energy into the air and kicked it. Suddenly red flags started going off in my head. That blast, I'd seen it before. As it whizzed past Yusuke's head I realized where I'd seen it. With Goten, Kurama, Botan, and Kaito while were investigating the tunnel.

"He's aiming for the apartment!" I shouted.

The ball of energy flew over our heads, down the street and slammed into Yusuke's apartment.

"Damn it," Koenma said. "All that muscle flexing must've just been a diversion."

"But why?" Trunks said.

"Yeah! He could've hurt Botan—or my sister!" Kuwabara explained. He turned on his heel and started back down the street. But Sensui leapt after him.

"Kuwabara! You've got company!" Yusuke shouted.

Kuwabara turned as Sensui came down at him and he quickly tumbled out of the way.

"All right, you guys. Go check on the girls," Yusuke said.

"And meanwhile you'll be. . . ?" Koenma asked.

"Permanently retiring his ass," Yusuke said.

"For a dumb kid you've got a pretty smart mouth," Sensui said.

"So you like smarts, huh? Tell me how much this smarts!" Yusuke charged Sensui and went in for a punch, but he faked at the last moment and started moving rapidly in circles around Sensui. He went in for the kill again, but this time, Sensui anticipated his move, blocked him and kicked him clear through an empty glass storefront.

Sensui then took off running. Yusuke ran out of the storefront and followed. Kurama, Kuwabara, and I followed.

We chased him down an alley, around the corner and out to a busy street. He was nowhere that we could see. Our eyes surveyed the crowds trying to find him and then-.

"There he is!" Yusuke pointed. We saw Sensui smirking at us at us and we chased after him again. He ran into a building. Once again, he'd disappeared. There was a giant staircase in front of us. At the top of the stairs Sensui walked out and looked down at us.

"They sure don't make Spirit Detectives like they used to," he said.

"You mean crazy and evil? No thanks," Yusuke said.

Sensui smirked at him. Yusuke leapt up at him and went on the offensive, but Sensui knocked him down the hallway. Kuwabara, Kurama and I ran up to follow and found Yusuke dodging Sensui's rapid kicks that just didn't seem to stop coming.

"Come on, Urameshi! Stop laying chicken with his feet and deep fry his skinny butt with your spirit gun!" Kuwabara shouted.

"Unless Yusuke keeps dodging his feet any attempt at a counter attack would be like tilting at a windmill," Kurama said.

Yusuke leapt back away from Sensui, but the ex-detective pursued and kicked Yusuke right in his side. But in a stunning move, Yusuke grabbed his leg.

"Now that I've got a leg up on," Yusuke said charging up for a Spirit Gun, "how'd you like a taste of this?"

Sensui then leapt up into the air and used his free leg to kick Yusuke right in the face sending him flying down the hallway.

"Lucky for me I've got a spare," Sensui said.

"Hey, you yellow bellied bully! Why kick a guy when he's down. How about you fight me? The champion of love! The defender of the weak!" Kuwabara shouted taking off toward Sensui. "For I am Kazuma Kuwabara and now prepared to feel my shiny new sword."

And that's when. . . Nothing happened.

Kuwabara's sprit energy had obviously returned but there was nothing special about his Spirit Sword.

"Hey, what happened? This is just my normal every day Spirit Sword. What happened to the one I used against Seaman?" Kuwabara said. "Darn. It would've been cool." Still, he took off again. "Here goes!"

"That is not very wise!" Kurama shouted, as if Kuwabara would suddenly start listening.

Kuwabara leapt down at Sensui with sword. Sensui raised his and with his palm flat against the blade of the sword, he stopped Kuwabara. Then he raised his leg and kicked Kuwabara to the ground.

Kurama pulled out his rose whip and went at Sensui this time. Kurama was able to attack Sensui from multiple angles with that whip. I was sure that Kurama had the upper hand. But I'd forgotten that Sensui was bat shit insane and he jumped out of the window at the end of the hallway out onto the street.

We ran outside after him. A crowd had started to gather, gawking at Sensui who had just jumped out of the window.

"Dare you risk that erratic weapon around civilians?" Sensui challenged Kurama. "I'm hurt, Kurama. Isn't my death worth a few lives? They'll be dead soon enough. . . Farewell."

Then he took off running. Kuwabara and Yusuke ran off after him. I stood there with Kurama as we heard the approaching sound of a motorcycle. It pulled up I front of us carrying Sniper. He held up his hand filled with marbles.

"You can't shoot those with all these innocents around," Kurama said.

"Not that I ever miss my target, but if it's a change of venue you're after, I'm game," Sniper said.

"Kurama! Kairi!" I looked over and coming was Keiko. Sniper spotted her instantly.

"Get back!" Kurama shouted.

Sniper shot out a marble at her, Puu flew up on the air and kept it from hitting her. I ran to her side as Sniper jumped back onto his bike. Kurama tried to take out his back tire with his whip, but Sniper hoisted himself up into the air, over the railing of the bridge and drove off onto the street below.

"Keiko, you're not injured are you?" Kurama asked.

"No, I'm all right, but we absolutely must get to Kuwabara before the others do," Keiko said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Seaman said that they need Kuwabara to cut the barrier leading to Demon World. They're trying to take him," Keiko said.

"Of course and that little shit couldn't have told us this any earlier," I said. "Let's go."

I grabbed Keiko's hand and pulled her along as Kurama and I went to catch up to Yusuke and Kuwabara. As we came to a corner, a green truck rounded the corner. A small boy was driving, Sensui was in the bed of the truck and slowly being reeled in behind them was Kuwabara.

"Oh, no! We're too late," Keiko said.

"Geronimo!" Above us. Yusuke jumped down next to us and fired off a Spirit Gun.

"You fucking idiot!" I shouted. "Kuwabara!"

"How could you shoot a blast that big without thinking that it would kill everyone on board including Kuwabara?" Kurama asked.

"I don't know! I was mad!" Yusuke said in a panic.

Then from the other side of the Spirit Gun, Sensui's potent mixture of ki and Spirit Energy appeared and popped Yusuke's Spirit Gun like it was nothing. Then he gave us a salute and drove off out of sight.

"Well, at least Kuwabara wasn't killed," Kurama said.

"Yeah! But they still got him!" Yusuke shouted.

A thousand thoughts raced through my head. I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. We had to get Kuwabara back. My first instinct was to fly, but I had unleashed my energy in so long there was no telling what would happen, still I wasn't getting anything done here.

And then I had an idea.

I clasped my hands together in a brief prayer. "Dende-sama, please don't let my father kill me for this even though he told me to stay out of trouble last night and I am actively disregarding everything he said."

"What are you doing?" Kurama asked.

"Nimbus!" I shouted. A moment later, the reliable yellow cloud came zooming down from the cloud.

"Are you mad? Your father is going to kill you if you go flying off into danger like this, on his cloud no less!" Kurama said.

"Well, we can't just let them take him after all! I'm tired of sitting around here being useless. I'm the only one here who's capable of chasing after a moving vehicle so I'm doing something," I said. And then I zoomed off.

_[Don't forget to review! That'd be lovely!]_


	15. What's Gonna Work? Team Work!

_[AN: Had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I'm so glad you finally get to read it! I hardly got any reviews last time which makes me sad. So you should review this time because it will make smile. And yes, I did get the chapter of this title from The Wonder Pets. I'm having a weird day.]_

I already knew I was going to get an earful for this—flying around in public on the Nimbus Cloud right into the jaws of danger after I had been told more than once to stay out of trouble. But what was I supposed to do? Kuwabara was my friend and they were trying to use him to destroy all of humanity. I was tired of sitting on the sidelines letting the boys do all of the heavy lifting. In front of me there were dozens and dozens of traffic accidents and explosions happening from where Sensui's reckless driver had been swerving in and out of traffic.

"Kairi! Son! What! Are! You! Doing!"

I looked back and Yusuke was on a bike pedaling at the speed of light.

"Yusuke! Look at you go on your little bike!" I said.

"Don't try and make friendly with me! Get your ass back to the apartment!" Yusuke said.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Partner," I said.

"Why not?" Yusuke asked.

"Because someone has to save Kuwabara," I said.

"That's what I'm here for!" Yusuke shouted.

"One of us is on a magical flying cloud and the other is on a bike. One of us has a better chance and I don't think it's you!" I said.

"Only one of us can use their Spirit Energy right now and I don't think it's you!" Yusuke shouted back.

"You're not changing my mind, Yusuke! I'm doing this!" I shouted at him.

"You're a bigger idiot than Kuwabara!" Yusuke shouted at me.

"Give me a break, Yusuke! What would Kuwabara do if it was me tied up in the back of that truck? Even if he knew he didn't stand a chance he would still try and save me because that's what he does," I said. "And I owe it to him to do the same."

Yusuke and I rounded a corner and the road started to weave down the side of the mountain.

"Dammit, if anything bad happens, Kairi, just get out of the way," Yusuke said.

I nodded. "You just shoot at the bad guys and I'll snatch up Kuwabara."

The truck came back into view ahead of us. Kuwabara was lying down on his stomach, tied up with Sensui sitting next to him casually in the bed of the truck.

"I just hope these wheels don't melt," Yusuke said, pedaling faster.

"Kairi—are you on a flying cloud?" Kuwabara shouted at me.

"Yes, I am Kazuma. Yes I am," I said.

Yusuke pedaled up to the front of the car.

"Consider this your first and only warning, pull this thing over or I'm gonna run your ass off the road," Yusuke said.

We rounded a corner and I heard someone coming up behind us. I looked back on his motorcycle Sniper appeared.

"Yusuke! We've got a problem!" I shouted.

He looked back, but by then it was too late, Sniper had shot out a die and smashed Yusuke's tire. Yusuke flew up in the air on his bike. He tumbled onto the ground, losing his shirt in the process. I abandoned Kuwabara and leapt from the cloud to check on Yusuke.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine," he said.

"Should I go after him?" I asked.

"You'll just be a sitting duck if you go after them by yourself," Yusuke said. "Damn it, we were so close!" Yusuke screamed, smacking his fist on the ground.

"It's going to be okay, they're not going to kill him yet," I said. "They need him."

"For what?" Yusuke asked.

I went to answer, but we'd forgotten that Sniper was there and suddenly we felt ourselves immersed in his territory. I felt a strange tingling sensation on my left shoulder, right arm, stomach, and left thigh. I looked to see what he had done, but suddenly, the territory vanished.

"Okay, that was weird," I said.

"What did you do to us?" Yusuke asked.

"Just marking my territory," Sniper said.

"Gross," I said.

Sniper held up his hand at us again. "Death print, bull's-eyes."

His territory reappeared and suddenly the spots on my body where the weird sensation were before were covered in little bull's-eyes. I looked over to Yusuke who was covered in them as well.

"I've always wanted tattoos," Yusuke said.

"Those my friends are targets," Sniper said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For me to hit of course, at any time at any range without me having to aim," Sniper said. "And with any ammunition I choose. Like these rocks for example." Sniper tossed a handful of pebbles up into the air. They hovered for a moment before shooting at us. I quickly created a force field to stop them. They hit my barrier, crumbling into dust as they did and hovered for a moment. When I brought the barrier down they fell down to the ground.

"What a nifty ability you've got there," he said. "Now all you've got to do is never let your guard down and you should be fine."

"Freak," Yusuke said.

"Come now. Let's not resort to name calling," Sniper said. "My proper name is Kaname Hagiri. But my victims call me Sniper. From this moment on, you'll never be able to go anywhere without looking over your shoulder." Sniper started his bike up. "Enjoy living in fear, Detectives." And then he sped off.

Yusuke and I ran after him but he had disappeared.

We reached the end of the road and came to the small forest that was on the side of the mountain. There was no other place Sniper could've gone so we ran in.

Once Yusuke and I were good and lost inside of this forest, the paranoia started to set in. Every gust of wind, every bird in flight, sounded like a bullet headed straight for us.

"This is so dumb," I said. "I hate being paranoid. Why doesn't he just stop acting like a bitch and show himself."

There was another gust of wind and Yusuke groaned.

"I'm getting tired of this damn wind," Yusuke said.

That's when the first attack came. It was benign enough. Sharp blades of grass cut across me from behind, leaving my school button down a tattered mess. Yusuke grabbed the offending blades and threw them to the ground.

I looked all around us and saw Sniper's bike.

"He's definitely close by," Yusuke said.

We kept our eyes open and searched.

"There!" Yusuke shouted, pointing at the sky. Rushing towards us was a mass of rocks. "Get behind me."

I did as Yusuke instructed as the rocks came at us. He punched every single one of them into dust.

"Your hand-eye coordination is excellent," I said.

"Thank you," he said.

"You know I could've stopped them all with my force field?" I asked.

"Yeah, but you and that damn shield were starting to make me feel useless," Yusuke said

Back up in the sky, there was a much larger cloud headed towards us.

"More rocks?" Yusuke asked.

But these were no rocks. They were catching the sun as they raced toward us. That's when we saw.

"Knives!" I shouted.

"Can you stop that with your force field?" Yusuke asked.

"Too many. I can't make my shield that big," I said. "Got any bright ideas?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna show him some real ammo! Shotgun!" Yusuke fired off his shotgun and destroyed most of the knives. A few of them got past and we both quickly dodged the knives, but they kept coming. One flew off towards him and the other made a beeline for me. I threw my shield up quickly and the knife fell to the ground with a plink. Yusuke caught his knife between his fingers and threw it to the ground.

"If you'd just show your pretty boy face, I'd bash it in for you!" Yusuke shouted.

Yusuke and I stared running again, searching all around for Sniper, and the worst part was that we knew he was close and we knew he was watching us.

"We've got to get out of his territory," I said. "Let's get back to the street."

Yusuke and I ran back out of the forest to the road. Down the road we could see two trucks headed toward us.

"Oh, the sweet sound of civilization," Yusuke said.

I watched as the trucks got closer and I felt something was wrong. I stared at them and then I saw it.

"Yusuke," I said, "Sniper."

"What?" he asked.

"I don't think we're out of the woods just yet," I said pointing. "No drivers."

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit," Yusuke said. He grabbed my hand and we started running. The truck was quickly gaining on us and because I couldn't use my energy I was in no position to be outrunning a truck.

"Kairi, I need you to run as fast as you can," Yusuke said.

"What do you think I'm doing?" I asked.

"I don't think you're going fast enough yet," Yusuke said.

And then he pushed me down the side of the hill, sending me tumbling back into the forest. I could hear the trucks turning and coming down the hill after me so I did as Yusuke said and started going. Being chased through the forest by an oil tanker was the push I needed to start running much faster. My heart was pounding and I could feel my legs turning to jelly. If I slowed down even a little bit I was dead meat. I thought about summoning the Nimbus cloud again, but there was no way I was going to be able to get onto it without getting myself run over first.

"Yusuke!" I shouted.

"Keep running!" I heard his voice shout back. He sounded so far away.

"I can't!" I shouted back. My legs were aching. My lungs were burning. Something was going to give pretty soon. And then suddenly the truck stopped. I stopped and turned and stared at it for a moment. Something was wrong. I was getting a bad feeling again. The truck revved and took off again. I started hauling ass once more.

I came to a small clearing ahead of me and at the end of it was a high cliff. A top it, Sniper stood there, pointing a gun.

So now he was going to shoot me and run me over with an oil tanker. Talk about overkill.

I saw Sniper move to pull the trigger and I waited to hear the sound of the gun firing, and I did. But I wasn't running anymore. Someone had grabbed me and pinned me face down on the ground. There was an explosion as the bullet connected with tanker and I covered my ears as it shook the forest.

When initial sound wave was over I brought my hands down from my ears and rolled over on my back, expecting to Yusuke protecting me from the blast. But it wasn't him.

"Hiei," I said looking him over. He was actually here, actually saving me like everyone had said he would. I had been literally seconds away from death and he'd saved me. I felt anxious and relieved all at the same time. ". . . What are you doing here?"

"Babysitting," he said.

Suddenly overcome with emotions over the fact that I was actually alive and okay, and that he was here making jokes about it, I kissed him. It only lasted a second or two, after which I tossed my arms around him, burying my face in his shoulder.

"I don't think you know how happy I am to see you," I said.

"I think I can guess based on your reaction," he said.

He then pulled me onto his back.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I figured you probably didn't want your partner to get blown up either," he said.

"Oh! Yusuke!" I suddenly remembered I held onto him tightly and he took off.

Hiei was flying through the forest and just as we came upon Yusuke, the tanker chasing him exploded. Hiei grabbed him, but didn't stop moving. He kept going and going until we got to the top of the cliff behind Sniper.

Hiei let me down onto the ground next to Yusuke as Sniper turned around to us.

"Detectives?" he said in shock.

"Hiei," Yusuke started.

"Don't go getting all sentimental, Urameshi," Hiei said.

"Who are you?" Sniper asked.

Hiei didn't answer as he walked up to Sniper.

"I have no quarrel with you stranger, but I will kill you if I have to," Sniper said, this time holding up a gun to him.

Again, Hiei said nothing again. Sniper pulled the trigger, but Hiei was gone. He kept shooting and shooting until Hiei came in front of Sniper and stabbed him in the chest.

"Hiei! No!" I shouted.

"What now, I can't even kill the bad humans?" Hiei asked. I frowned at him. "My blade is a few inches from his heart if that's what you're worried about."

Sniper reached around and grabbed Hiei by his neck, and held out his gun at us again.

"What's the point?" I asked.

"No one can stop our justified cause," Sniper said.

Hiei pulled his sword from Sniper and he fell to the ground unconscious.

"You. . . You saved us," Yusuke said.

"I was worried about the trees," Hiei said.

I rolled my eyes as a breeze blew through.

"This breeze coming in reminds me of home. I find it comforting and it soothes me. It tastes like freshly spilt blood and the rotting flesh of decaying corpses," Hiei said.

". . . Kairi, I think you need to start reevaluating your taste in men," Yusuke said.

"Shut up, Yusuke," I said.

"Can you see it? The gateway to Demon World will be open soon," Hiei said.

Yusuke and I turned and looked. The energy surround the tunnel was huge. Sensui had to have been right about this tunnel being opened in two days, sooner even.

"Maybe I'll return home," Hiei said.

Yusuke punched the ground.

"Dammit. We beat Toguro. I assumed everything after that would be a cake walk and now some rogue Spirit Detective has to go and open up the friggin' gates of hell," Yusuke said stumbling to his feet.

"And to top it all off Kuwabara's gone and gotten himself kidnapped," I said.

"Neither of you is in any shape to be playing the hero," Hiei said.

"Well, if we don't who will? Not you, remember? This is our world, not yours. See ya. I have to go save the world again," Yusuke said.

Yusuke and went to take off, but Hiei drew his sword and came at Yusuke.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that!" Hiei said. He held the sword to Yusuke's throat. "For the second time today I hold your life in my hands. I doubt this Sensui will be as merciful as I."

"Kuwabara needs me," Yusuke said.

"Kuwabara was ill prepared for them and look what happened to him," Hiei said.

"Are you fucking kidding me right now, Hiei?" I asked. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"I hope I don't have to kill you both from being foolish," Hiei said.

"You just might, Hiei," Yusuke said.

Hiei took his cloak off and started to power up.

"It's been far too long since our last fight Detective," Hiei said.

And then Yusuke and Hiei got into a punching match.

I massaged the bridge of my nose. This was not how today was supposed to turn out.

And then I felt buzzing in my pocket. I fished out my phone and saw that it was Kurama calling,

I answered quickly.

"Kurama, I need you!" I cried.

"What's happened? Is your life in danger? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Uhm, mostly," I said, as I watched Hiei punch Yusuke into the ground.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked.

"So, um, Kuwabara got away, and then Sniper was chasing us through the forest trying to kill us and then Sniper tried to blow me up! But Hiei saved me!"

"You've found Hiei?" Kurama said.

"Yes, but now he's fighting Yusuke," I said.

"What? Why?" Kurama asked.

"I don't fucking know! He like just showed up, saved us, stopped Sniper, and then started talking mad shit about Yusuke, Kuwabara, and me and how we're all 'ill-prepared' and whatnot," I said. "And now they're punching each other in the face and I don't know what to do because you are the only one who can disarm these kinds of situations!"

"Calm down!" Kurama shouted at me. "You know as well as I do that Yusuke is more than capable of defeating Hiei. You also know that if Hiei showed up to save the both of you he is obviously not against us. When they're done with their moment, tell them that I am extremely disappointed in their behavior given the magnitude of the situation and that they should be ashamed of themselves for wasting time like this. And then get to Demon's Door Cave."

"But-."

"That is my final word on it," he said. I huffed. "Oh, and Kairi."

"What?" I asked.

"Please reevaluate your tastes in men," Kurama said.

"Fuck off!" I said.

And then Kurama hung up.

Just as my call ended, so did the fight.

Hiei chuckled and then he licked his bleeding arm.

"That's pretty gross," I said.

_Kurama and Yusuke might have a point._

"You rose to the challenge. You haven't lost your Spirit Power. You just needed a kick in the ass," Hiei said, then he returned to licking his wounds.

". . . You mean you stalled me here just to see how strong I am?" Yusuke shouted.

"You really are a simple child, aren't you? You still don't get it," Hiei said. He spit the blood from his mouth to the ground. "Do you remember when you fought Toguro in the tournament and Kairi had to make you believe she had been killed? Back then you lacked the motivation to reach your potential and Toguro went out of his way to bring it out. Sensui just wants you dead."

Hiei put his cloak back on.

"Harness your own power if you hope to beat him. If you take anything from our scrimmage, take that," Hiei said. "So go. Save the Human World. Or don't. I don't really care either way."

And then it was at that moment that I started to laugh.

"What are you over there giggling about?" Hiei asked.

"You! I mean you're so full of crap!" I laughed. "You and this whole front you put on, like, 'I'm Hiei and I don't care about nothin' and nobody.'"

"I don't talk like that," Hiei said, frowning at my imitation of his voice.

"The point is, you came back. You've been rooting for us this whole time and you did all this to help this idiot," I said. "Yusuke has been telling everyone you would come back when we needed you and you did."

"Actually I told everyone that all we had to do was push you in front of a bus and he would come a running, but I guess an oil tanker works just the same," Yusuke said.

"Shut up," I said. "Seriously, Hiei, you can't really deny it. You care about what happens to us."

"You big softie," Yusuke chuckled. "Or should I say little softie?" Hiei rolled his eyes. "Really, Hiei, thanks. I needed a kick in the ass."

"Hn." And then Hiei turned and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" I asked him. "Now that your little secret is out I figured. . ." I sighed. "We could really use your help on this. We need you. Kuwabara needs you."

"But I hate Kuwabara," he said. "Do them one favor and they suddenly think you're their best friend. This is why I could care less if their whole species was swallowed up."

"Actually, Hiei, the phrase is 'could _not _care less' because saying you could care less implies that you do care to begin with and I think you're probably trying to convey the opposite of that," I said. He turned and glared at me. I smiled at him.

"Your cousin teach you to talk like that?" Hiei asked.

"Maybe he should teach you too," I said.

"You actually expect me to help you while you're being this irritating?" he asked.

"Oh, Hiei, you know I'm always this irritating. Now stop being a jackhole and help us," I said.

"The fact that you're always irritating is hardly motivation for me to help you," Hiei said. "I'd rather they succeed so I can be rid of you."

"My, someone's awful testy today," I said. "Well fine, if you're in such a human hating mood this fine evening, what if I were to say that we were in possession of a certain tape."

"And what tape would that be?" Hiei asked.

"Just a little snuff film you may've heard of called Chapter Black," Yusuke said. "Now that I think of it, Kurama did say you tried to get your hands on it. It's out of print but Sensui's got a copy. We could get it for you."

"The most forbidden contraband in all of Spirit World? You think they'll let you walk out with it?" Hiei asked.

"In the rush of the aborted apocalypse, that tape'll be the last thing Spirit World intelligence will be thinking about and if not, well, you're just about the only thing Spirit World can't keep tabs on aren't you," I said.

"Hmm, you're quite clever when you put your mind to mischief," Hiei said.

"We have to be to keep up with you," I said.

"Hey," Hiei said motioning behind us. We turned and saw two large, ugly demons flying towards us. They were so weak I'd barely even sensed them approaching.

"Friends of yours?" Hiei asked.

"We assumed they were yours," Yusuke said.

They landed in front of us with a thud. They growled at us.

"Whoa, someone needs a breath mint," Yusuke said.

"We're new to town," the first said.

"We've come to plunder your puny world. Show us your women and your human flesh depository," the second said.

"Hiei, what the hell is a human flesh depository and are they common in Demon World?" I asked.

"As you can tell we're hungry in more ways than one," the first said.

"This means that Karakura Town has moved up to stage three. I believe these demons are technically classified as weak and ugly," Hiei said.

"Who are you calling ugly?" the first asked.

"Get a load of this one," the second said pointing to Hiei. "He doesn't even have a single beauty wart on his face."

Hiei glared at the demon before turning to Yusuke and me.

"All right you two, it seems we've finally stumbled across a reason for me to help," Hiei said. "If Sensui does succeed we'll be overrun by these vermin disgraces to the demon race. And I would not enjoy that."

"Yeah, me neither," Yusuke said.

"How dare you speak to us this way!" the first proclaimed.

"We'll have your woman for that!" the second declared. A large for tongue sprang from his mouth towards me. Hiei reached out and grabbed the large ugly thing before ripping it from the demon's mouth. Then he and Yusuke proceeded to slay both demons with a single blow.

"That'll teach 'em; the only guy around here allowed to put his tongue near Kairi is you," Yusuke said.

Hiei and I both turned and leered at Yusuke at the same time.

"What was that, Urameshi?" Hiei asked.

"Oh, don't play dumb, Hiei. Everyone knows all about what's been going on between you and Kairi since the Dark Tournament," Yusuke said.

Hiei turned to me. "Is that a fact?"

"You're not allowed to be angry. I only said anything because you pissed me off by throwing my shoe," I said.

"I wouldn't have thrown your shoe if you hadn't thrown it at my head like a damn child," Hiei said.

"I only threw it at your head because you were having a hissy fit 'like a damn child,' because 'there are like five people in existence that could ever kick my ass. How can I go on existing with this kind of weakness? Woe is me!'" I said.

"I do not talk like that," Hiei said.

"Of course you don't. You're much whinier than I made you out to be," I said. "I hate you."

"No you don't," he said.

And then I kicked him in the shins.

"Psycho!" he said. And then he thwacked me on the top of my head.

"Ow! That's no fair! You can't hit me! I can't fight back! I owed you that kick in the shins," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"I said if you left that the next time I saw you I'd kick you in the shins," I said. "And so I have. You weren't supposed to hit me back, especially while I'm all defenseless and whatnot." I rubbed the spot on my forehead where he'd hit me. "You hit really hard."

Hiei rolled his eyes. "You're pathetic."

"And you're short," I said, rubbing my head and pouting. "And mean."

"Stop making that face at me," he said.

"Stop being so mean to me all of the time. I'm always nice to you," I said.

"You're annoying most of the time," he said.

"I'm only annoying because I care," I said.

"Well, maybe I'm only mean because I care." As soon as the last word was out of his mouth I could tell he had regretted it. He opened his mouth to say something, but faltered. And then I watched in amazement and Hiei turned away from me, looking quite perturbed as his face flushed.

"Boy, Hiei, I bet you didn't mean to admit that out loud did you?" Yusuke chuckled. "And now it's awkward for both of you. I am so glad I was here to see this. Kurama is gonna be so jealous."

I bit at my bottom lip nervously as Hiei turned back to me. I felt my face flush immediately and I dropped my gaze down to my shoes. They were a lot more interesting now that I was avoiding Hiei's gaze. My white school shoes were filthy and matted with dirt. I'd need a new pair. My gray skirt was also pretty dirty, but salvageable. My white button down, however, was ripped all to shreds and you could see hints of my white tank top through it. My mom was going to be pretty mad when I told her I needed another new uniform.

Suddenly Hiei, reached out and grabbed my hand from where I was still unconsciously rubbing my forehead where he'd hit me, causing me to jump a bit.

"Will you stop that," he said.

"It hurt," I said.

". . .Sorry," he said. "Let's go before I change my mind again."

I found it incredibly hard to believe that 10 minutes ago I had been going on about how happy I was to see him and then that vey same feeling had been intertwined with a strong desire to roundhouse kick him in the face.

And now I was feeling embarrassed and confused and nauseous and happy all at once.

_[Don't forget to review!]_


	16. BackUp for the End of the World

_[Yay, Bleach stuff! More importantly I'd like to shout out the awesome _**AnimeMomo**_ for the awesome picture of Kairi that she drew! It looks amazing. I have the link posted on my homepage OR you can find it at the end of this chapter! Make sure you have a look at it and give her some love!]_

As Yusuke, Hiei, and I got closer to the cave, the sun was starting to set. Walking along we finally came upon the rest of our party not too far ahead.

"That was fast. They must not have run into traffic, or had any traffic running after them," Yusuke said.

We ran up to the rest of the gang.

"Welcome back, Hiei," Kurama said. "It seems Yusuke was right about you returning."

"Oh, was I ever right!" Yusuke said. "Remember what I said about the bus?"

"She didn't actually almost get hit by a bus did she?" Goten asked, glaring at me, obviously peeved that I'd run off into danger in the first place.

"No, but we did get chased by oil tankers through the woods, and lo, guess who showed up," Yusuke said.

"You got chased by oil tankers through the forest?" Yana asked incredulously.

"As nifty as your powers are, they've got nothing on Snipers. He can basically pick anything he wants and throw it at you," I said. "Even oil tankers. And then he can shoot a gun at you to blow up the oil tanker because really why run someone over when you could blow them up?"

"This wouldn't even be an issue for you if actually listened for once and didn't go running off on the Nimbus Cloud when you should've been staying put!" Goten said shaking me.

"Stop, you're gonna give me whiplash," I said. Goten released me and I rubbed my neck. In addition to the usual gang, Kaito was also here. Koenma had disappeared somewhere and for some reason, Kiyoshi was also here.

". . . You're here," I said.

"Kiyoshi has decided to stop being evil and assist us in stopping Sensui from destroying the world like a good little boy," Genkai said.

"Oh. . . Cool," I said. "Welcome to the team. Now do we have a plan?"

"First, I believe we should review what we already know," Kurama said. "There we seven psychics originally. Doctor, who Yusuke dispatched at the hospital."

"I took care of Sniper," Hiei said.

"That's two which leaves five," Kurama said.

"And Kiyoshi's with us now which leaves four," Botan said.

"And we know they'll head back to Demon's Door Cave. That is where we will go to close the tunnel and retrieve Kuwabara," Kurama said.

"Well, we're done sitting on our asses and waiting patiently," Yusuke said.

"Stick a sock in it, you impulsive, twit. The tunnel will be opening in two days and your sarcasm won't close it any faster," Genkai said.

"But that's four whole days earlier than Spirit World gauged it would be open initially," Trunks said.

"Why do they keep moving up the deadline? It's like every day the tunnel's growing faster," Yana said.

"When a psychic tampers with the kind of power Itsuki has there is always the possibility of losing control," Kurama said.

"Now that you mention it, he did say it was going faster than he had planned, like the tunnel wanted grow and had a life of its own," Kiyoshi said.

"Or you can tell just by looking at our once fair city," Kaito said. "Well, once fair."

"I don't know about all that," I said. "I mean, Karakura Town isn't that awesome."

"Shut up, Kairi," Genkai said.

"Let us now just go and storm the cave now before the gateway can expand any wider, especially now that they have Kuwabara," Kurama said. "If they can use his new found abilities to cut through dimensions and cut through the barrier, then we don't stand a chance."

"I doubt Kuwabara would ever do something like that willingly though," Goten said.

"Well they don't need him to comply because they've got Gourmet," Kiyoshi said.

"Yes. According to Kiyoshi, they're most likely going to have this Gourmet eat Kuwabara's powers so he can cut through the barrier," Kurama said.

"I saw him do it once and it was the most horrific thing I've ever seen in my life. He absorbs a person's powers by literally eating them whole while they're still alive," Kiyoshi said.

"That's. . . gross," Trunks said.

"Does he at least put something on them-mustard? Chili?" Yusuke asked.

"No. He just eats them alive. Once they're inside of him their powers become his. His territory exists entirely within his stomach," Kiyoshi went on.

"This guy sounds a lot like Cell," Goten said.

"Except Cell absorbed people through his tail, which is pretty much just as weird given the situation," I said.

A strong breeze blew through again.

"There goes that familiar wind. I think two days is overly optimistic," Hiei said.

Along with this wind, however, we sensed something approaching us. It wasn't very strong, but definitely was there with malicious intent. Suddenly, everyone was on the defensive.

"What is that?" Goten asked.

"I've never sensed anything like it before," Trunks said.

"It's probably just another stupid demon looking to eat Kairi again," Yusuke said.

"No this, definitely isn't a demon," Hiei said.

The creature burst forth through the trees and let out a wail. The creature was large and purple with a long tale, claws and wore a mask made of bone. In the center of its chest was a giant hole.

"It's a hollow," I said.

"A hollow?" Hiei asked.

"Oh, right, while you were busy abandoning us, you missed my explanation of how the Soul Society exists," I said.

"I'm sure it was riveting," Hiei said.

"While you two are busy flirting," Trunks said, fired a ki blast at the hollow. It should've vaporized something that weak, but it seemed to pass right through the monster.

"Hn. And here you fooled me into believing that you were going to actually do something impressive," Hiei said.

"I don't see you doing anything particularly useful aside from running your mouth like usual," Trunks shouted.

"It appears we lack the proper abilities to defeat this creature," Kurama said. "It might be in our best interest for the two of you to stop your quarreling and for us to retreat."

_"Koten zashun! I reject!"_ a familiar voice shouted. Something shot straight through the hollow, cutting it in half dissolving it into nothingness. Whatever had destroyed the hollow flew back to its origin: a flower petal on the hair pin of one of my classmates.

"Orihime!" I exclaimed.

"Hi, Kairi! Hi Suichi!" she said excitedly, dashing over to us. "What are you doing here? I didn't even see you and Suichi at school today!"

"We were just off going to save the world," I said. "Um. . . What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood going off to buy some groceries because I wanted to make spinach, mango, tofu, and anchovy curry and I got a little distracted and then I got a little lost but then I sensed that hollow and thought that since it wasn't very strong and since Rukia and Ichigo aren't around I should probably take care of it! And here you are!" she said enthusiastically.

"Here I am!" I said.

"Craziness!" she said.

"Right," I said. I turned to the group who was now staring at the girl who had just saved us with bewildered expressions on their faces. "Guys, this is Orihime Inoue. She goes to school with me. She helps, Ichigo, the Soul Reaper I told you all about."

"Oh, yes! Rukia and Ichigo told me all about you! I'm very pleased to meet you and very thankful for your assistance with that hollow," Botan said. "I'm Botan, pilot of the River Styx and assistant to the Spirit Detectives!"

"Nice to meet you too!" Orihime said.

"Orihime this is my partner Yusuke, Hiei, my aunt Genkai, my the brother Goten, Trunks, and these are three psychics like I told you about, Yana—"

"Yuu Kaito! I know you! You go to our school too! I had no idea you were a psychic!" Orihime said.

"Yes, well, it's not exactly something I would be broadcasting," Kaito adjusting his glasses.

"And Kiyoshi here who used to be evil but is now helping us," I said.

"It's really great to meet you all," Orihime said. "You should probably try to stay out of trouble. All day Karakura Town has been lousy with Hollows. Ichigo and Uryu even left school early because it's been so busy. They think it's because of all of the Spiritual Pressure inside of Karakura Town caused by the tunnel, they're popping up a lot more."

"That would make sense," Kurama said. "It's lucky you were here to assist us."

"No problem! It was just a little one," Orihime said.

"We're completely useless against them. So it was a big thing for us," Goten said.

"Orihime!" a voice called out. Down from the sky dropped a woman clad in black robes, a sword at her side. She was slightly shorter than Hiei, had violet eyes, and short cut black hair that framed her face. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she said dismissively.

"Rukia! I wasn't expecting to see you!" Botan said.

"With all of these Hollows caused by that tunnel the Soul Society felt it prudent to send some extra help for Ichigo," the woman said. "Which of you is the Spirit Detective?"

"That'd be us," Yusuke said. "I'm Yusuke Urameshi."

"And I'm Kairi Son," I said.

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki of Squad 13 of the 13 Court Guard Squads," she introduced herself.

"So you're like an actual Soul Reaper, huh? Thought you guys would be taller," Yusuke said. I punched him upside his head.

"Sorry about my partner. He's a moron," I said.

"He reminds me of Ichigo," Rukia said.

"Ichigo doesn't really strike me as a moron with no respect for authority," I said.

"Oh, you just don't know Ichigo well enough," Orihime laughed.

"Anyway, the Soul Society wants you to know that we are in close contact with Koenma and are well aware of your situation with tunnel," Rukia said. "Should things not go according to plan, we are prepared to offer any and all assistance that would be necessary in keeping the Human World safe should any demons crossover."

"Wow, thanks," I said. "Looks like we've got back up on stand-by for the end of the world. I like this new alliance."

"Tell your Soul Society thanks, but we're not stopping until that tunnel's closed and we get Kuwabara back," Yusuke said.

"Kuwabara's one of our friends. He uses a Spirit Sword that can apparently cut through dimensions. Sensui wants to use it to cut through the kekai barrier net," I said.

"I see. How much time left do you have before the tunnel stabilizes?" Rukia asked.

"Sensui said two days, but the tunnel is expanding faster and faster. There's really no way to tell except that it's much sooner than everyone expected, even Sensui," I said.

"Then it looks like I'm holding you up," Rukia said. "I wish there was a way I could monitor how things go."

"How about I go with you? That way if something goes wrong I can call Ichigo and we'll be prepared," Orihime said.

"That's not a bad idea," Kurama said.

"Excellent. I have to get back to helping Ichigo and the others," Rukia said. "Good luck you guys."

And then Rukia took off.

"All right! Now it's time for us to go kick some ass!" Yusuke said.

"Not quite yet, dimwit. Before you kids go barreling into that cave half cocked, we should send a team in ahead to scout it out the situation," Genkai said. "Kairi, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, you'll be the first wave. The rest of us will hang back as the second line of defense. That way if any of you gets killed the world won't be completely doomed."

"But I heard that Demon's Door Cave leads down to s system of mazelike tunnels. They could get completely lost in there," Orihime said.

"This is true, Master Genkai. Shouldn't I go with them to show them the way?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Uh. . . Why the hell should we trust you?" Hiei asked.

Kiyoshi opened his mouth to answer, but faltered.

"Wow, you're very forward aren't you?" Orihime said.

"That's our Hiei," Goten said.

". . . You can trust me because. . . I'm much more indebted to Mister Kuwabara than anyone else here," Kiyoshi finally said.

Yusuke stared at him for a moment.

"You want me to run a polygraph on him with my copy technique?" Yana asked.

Yusuke waved him off and placed a hand on Kiyoshi's shoulder.

"You're all right. Let's go," Yusuke said.

"I won't let you down," Kiyoshi said.

"Yusuke, recall the last time you raced into something without thinking?" Genkai asked.

"Which time was that?" Yusuke asked thinking to himself. He thought for a long, quiet moment.

"Kidnapping," I coughed.

"Oh, right! When these guys captured me," Yusuke said.

"Yes, and what can we hope for you to take from the experience?" Genkai asked.

"Don't get caught," Yusuke said with a smirk.

"Idiot," Genkai said.

"All right, boys, let's get to it," I said.

"You be careful, Kairi," Goten said.

"I always am," I said, flashing my little brother the peace sign. "Keep everyone out of trouble, Orihime!"

888

We stood outside the mouth of Demon's Door Cave. There was a broken wooden fence blocking it off and parked just outside of it was the teal truck that they'd taken Kuwabara in.

"So, this is the entrance to hell," Hiei said. "It's drearier than I expected."

"And not a greased up German guy in sight," I said.

"Your dad really needs to tell me the full version of that story," Yusuke said.

"Kiyoshi, how long will it take us to reach Itsuki and the others?" Kurama asked.

"If we proceed quickly but with caution, it should take about two hours," he replied.

"Fuck! Two hours? Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed.

"No. Not as long as we don't encounter any problems along the way," Kiyoshi said.

I sighed.

"I guess we'd better start walking then," I said.

"What are we waiting for?" Yusuke asked.

"You to stop talking," Hiei said.

"Let's go," I said.

We started inside walking for a few minutes until the cave was almost completely overwhelmed by darkness. The entrance was no longer visible behind us. Ahead of us, the cave split into a fork leading to two separate paths.

"Well, Kiyoshi, which do we take?" Kurama asked.

"The one on the right," he said.

Kurama reached into his pocket and pulled out a seed. He tossed it to ground and up sprouted a glowing, yellow flower.

"You spreading your seed, Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

"They're called lamp weeds to show us the way out. Think of them as tiny, phosphorescent. . . Bread crumbs," Kurama said.

"That is assuming we make it out alive to come back," Hiei said.

Kurama flashed him a smile and we kept on our way. Kurama dropped lamp weeds every couple of feet. It brought some light to the darkness, but it didn't do much for the weight that was coming down on us with every step closer we got. And the two hour walk was going to give me a lot of time to be anxious about it.

"Kairi, did you ever figure out that vision you had?" Yusuke asked.

I shook my head. "Nope, not that I've had much time to sort it out given the events that have taken place today?"

"What did you see?" Hiei asked.

"I'm in water. Someone's pulling me out but I'm calling out to Yusuke for whatever reason," I said. "I don't see him at all in the vision or who's pulling me out or where this water even is. I just know that whatever reason I'm calling out to him it's because I'm scared of something."

"Do you usually predict things that are so vague?" Kiyoshi asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. Usually I can pretty much make sense of things that I see. But not recently. The only thing I do know is that I've never predicted anything good."

"You know. . . There is a small lake where we're going," Kiyoshi said. "Itsuki sit in a boat in the middle of it while he works on the tunnel," he said. "Do you think that's where it's happening?"

"That certainly would make sense given the element of danger surrounding all of this," I said. "But why would I jump into a lake?"

"Trying to escape something?" Kurama asked.

"Kairi wouldn't do that. She can't swim," Yusuke said.

"You're saying that mastering a complicated technique like the kaioken you can do fine, but learning to keep yourself afloat in water has somehow escaped you?" Hiei asked.

"It's not for lack of trying after all. I just get into any water that's not a shower or rain fall and I freak out. It's not my fault. It's because of my training. It involved being thrown in a river at a very young age and teaching yourself to swim so you don't drown," I said. "I'm the only one that didn't respond well to this kind of training. It just traumatized me."

"That's how I became friends with Kairi. We were on a school field trip in kindergarten at a water park. Mostly everybody stayed away from her because she was weird and kinda mean, so she was just sitting there in her bathing suit all by herself at the edge of the pool and this girl, Rei, pulled her in," Yusuke said. "I saved her when I saw she didn't come back up."

"But it's not you pulling me out of the water this time," I said.

"It's really freakin' weird, Kairi," Yusuke said.

"Except. . . We haven't really asked the most logical question about it yet have we?" I asked.

"What would that be?" Yusuke asked.

". . . What if something happened to you?" I asked. "What if I'm calling out to you not because I want you to save me, but because I can't save you?"

The cave went deathly silent as we walked through the darkness. There was nothing but the sound of our feet scraping against the stone floor and Kurama tossing a lamp weed to the ground.

When its glow started to fill up the space around us, Yusuke spoke against.

"How do you know something bad is gonna happen?" Yusuke asked.

"I never see anything good," I said. "Ever. It's liked I'm only programmed to see the bad stuff. Except now the universe is screwing with me because I don't know what's going to happen, only that it's bad and that it's definitely going to happen because that's how it always happen."

"Please don't have some kind of meltdown right now," Yusuke said. "Whatever happens, we deal with it. And if something bad does happen to me-."

"Don't say that," I said.

"Kairi, you faked your death two months ago. I am entitled to speculate about my own demise and should said event occur, then Hiei and Kurama will take care of things like they always do. They'll take care of you," Yusuke said.

"But you're my partner. You don't let me drown and I don't let you," I said.

"You don't," Yusuke said. "Even if I do kick the bucket you won't."

_[Here is the link to AnimeMomo's picture of Kairi! Remove the spaces and it should work. If not, the link is on my homepage listed before all of my fanfics! Enjoy! __ kiokonight. deviantart. com ____/_art/kairi-Son-317133795 _]_


	17. Noise in the Dark

_[Sorry for the delay in the update. I'm sick and my computer was very far away. I've only just gotten some medicine in me so I was feeling up to sitting at my computer and posting for you. Enjoy and don't forget to update! And thank you to the new readers who've joined in the past few days!]_

"We go right here," Kiyoshi instructed us.

Kurama tossed another lamp weed to the ground. We'd been walking for nearly an hour now, mostly in silence aside from when Kiyoshi was giving us directions

"I don't know what we'd do without you," Yusuke said turning back and looking at the path we had come from. It was glowing with lamp weeds. "We better make sure we these things don't go out otherwise we'll be wandering around here through our mid-twenties."

"Don't be worried. I won't get us lost," Kiyoshi said as we continued. "We should be coming across a large cavern soon. After that we should be about halfway there."

"Thank goodness. I'm not sure how much more my feet are going to be able to take," I said. "Remind me not to take anymore near-fatal injuries again."

"Will do," Yusuke said.

"Wait! Stop!" Kiyoshi shouted, jumping in front of us.

"What is it?" Kurama asked.

"You see that door up there? It's not supposed to be there!" he said.

Up ahead through the darkness, you could barely see anything, but there was clearly a large door straight in front of us. We walked up to it. It ran from the floor to the ceiling of the cave, was clearly made of some sort of heavy metal. In the center of the double doors was a large letter G.

"Perhaps we took a wrong turn," Kurama suggested.

"No, we did everything right. I'm sure of it. This is a new addition," Kiyoshi assured us. "I would be willing to bet that absolutely nothing good can be behind it."

"I second that," I said.

Yusuke took a step closer and stared at the door. "It's weird, but I know I've seen this door somewhere before. I just can't place it." He let out a groan. "Ugh. I know I've seen it recently so it can't be the school gates. Why can't I figure it out? Where the hell have I seen this damn door?!"

_"Welcome to Goblin City!"_

"Whoa! It speaks!" I exclaimed.

_"Where you and your team of seven must clash iron against the evil Goblin King and restore peace to the town."_

"This just keeps getting weirder," I said.

"Oh! Of course! I've seen it a million times as the gates of Goblin City!" Yusuke explained.

"Goblin City?" Hiei asked.

"A popular arcade game," Kurama said.

"Oh, right! Goten and Trunks play that game like it's going out of style," I said.

"That's because it's not just any video game. It's _the_ video game," Yusuke said. "You've gotta kill this Goblin King who's like the master of every single game but what's so sweet about it is that it combines all the different kinds of games into one: sports, fighting, trivia, puzzles and so on. The king challenges you to different games at random and you've gotta beat him at four out of seven to free Goblin City."

"So now the question is why has it come to life inside of a cave?" I asked.

"Amanuma," Kiyoshi said. "He is the Game Master."

"Welcome to my territory," a young voice said from the other side of the door.

"Oh, yeah that's him all right," Kiyoshi said with a frown.

"The rules of the game are the rules of my territory and the rules of my territory are the rules of the game," he went on.

"If his territory is the rules of the game we can't even get through those doors unless we fit into the game somehow," Kiyoshi said. "And unfortunately we have to get through those doors if we want to get to where Itsuki and Mr. Kuwabara are to save him from Gourmet."

"Does entering mean we have to dress up as medieval knights because I left my breast shield in my closet," Yusuke said.

"Actually, I can't see how many people your team has out there, but you must have seven heroes to clash iron with me!" Amanuma said.

"We got enough heroes to beat you four times outta seven!" Yusuke exclaimed.

"The rules say seven!" Amanuma said.

"We have no choice but to follow every guideline. That's the only way we're getting through that door," Kiyoshi said.

"It doesn't appear that he's going to be very flexible with his rule about seven players," Kurama said.

"Seven! You must have seven heroes to clash iron with me!" Amanuma repeated.

"Shut up already!" Yusuke said.

"They must've known we'd be cautious and enter as a small group and designed this to get us all in here together," Kurama said.

"Well, then I'll just follow the lamp weeds out, grab two more people and come back," Yusuke said.

"It's too dangerous for us to be travelling alone and it's not as if we can progress any farther," Kurama said.

"Crap," I said. "It looks like our two hour walk just doubled. My feet hurt just thinking about it."

888

When we got back outside, the rest of our group had finally arrived and stared at us curiously.

"What happened?" Botan asked.

"A delay," Kurama said.

"Game Master's territory is blocking our way halfway through. Apparently it works just like the game Goblin City and he won't even let us in to take him out if we don't have seven people so two of you have to come with us," I said.

"So, wait. You're telling me that this guy's territory is exactly like Goblin City?" Goten asked.

"'The rules of the game are the rules of my territory and the rules of my territory are the rules of the game.' That's exactly what he said," I said.

"Well, I'm definitely volunteering. I kick ass at that game," Goten said. "And Trunks can come too."

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because the only person better at that game than me is you because you're a total freak," Goten said.

"Yes, Trunks you'll go with Goten. And I'm sending Orihime as well," Genkai said.

"Me?" she asked.

"I want the three of you to stay with them to rescue Kuwabara unless something goes wrong. I don't want us taking any more chances," Genka said.

"But Amanuma only asked for seven players. He might not even let her inside," Kiyoshi said.

"Then she can sit and wait patiently for you like a good little girl until you're either dead or stop the Game Master," Genkai said.

"Hopefully nobody dies," Orihime said uncomfortably.

"Well there you have it," Goten said. "Let's go save the world."

888

"You know, Kurama, when we were kids I always just thought you were weird. . . Now I know that I couldn't have been more right," Goten said. "These lamp weeds are pretty cool though. Where'd you pick up a nifty trick like that?"

"It's just the plant really. I merely use my Spirit Energy make them take root and grow," he said.

"That's pretty amazing. I've never seen anyone powers like yours before," Orihime said.

"I could say the same for you," Kurama said. "What you did to defeat that hollow was unlike anything I'd seen before. What do you call that?"

"I have no idea. I was just able to do it one day when the school got attacked by a hollow," she said. "Ichigo wasn't around and I guess it just kind of happened."

"You developed your abilities kind of out a reflex just like Kuwabara's did," I said. "One day some guy kicking his ass and boom, his body developed a defense for it by using his Spirit Energy."

"I guess that's kind of what happened," Orihime said.

"So is your cutting thingy the only thing you can do?" Yusuke asked.

"No. I can create a shield and I can heal people really fast too," she said.

"That's awesome. We can always use another healer on our team. We get injured a lot," I said. "Well, mostly Kurama does, but he can heal himself most of the time. Then there's Kuwabara."

"Who's obviously been kidnapped so you can already tell how useless he is," Yusuke said.

"He can't be completely useless," Orihime said.

"Yes he can," Hiei said.

"Don't mind, Hiei. He doesn't care much for Kuwabara," Kurama said. "Or anyone else for that matter."

"Yeah, expect Kairi," Yusuke chuckled.

"Quiet, Urameshi," Hiei hissed at him.

"Don't worry, Hiei. I'm not gonna spill the beans on what you accidentally said out loud," Yusuke said. "At least not until your back is turned so I can tell Kurama."

"Stop being a troll, Yusuke," I said, rolling my eyes.

"A tease is more like it. What happened?" Goten asked eagerly.

"Naw, I can't say. You know Hiei might actually kill me," Yusuke said. "But I can say that it was adorable. I don't think I've ever seen Kairi blush like that before. I don't think I've seen _Hiei_ blush like that before, or ever actually."

"I may smack you if you keep talking," I said, nudging him. I motioned ahead of us to Trunks who was walking with Kiyoshi and Kurama.

Yusuke let out a sigh. "Jeez, aren't we there yet?"

"Nearly," Kurama said.

"Just a few more minutes. And then another hour after that," Goten said.

"And we'll still have to deal with Game Master, however long that takes," I said.

"Well, it's like they say, 'the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry,'" Orihime said.

"Is that how that whole saying goes?" Goten asked.

"Yep," Orihime said.

"Hm. I learned something new today," he replied.

"I just wish we knew what we were about to get into," Trunks said.

"That's kind of like praying for rain the desert with us," I said. "Kid said his powers work like the videogame so perhaps we just expect the Goblin King videogame."

"Which means you'll be completely useless, Sis," Goten said. "Videogames are like the only things in the world you're bad at."

"Besides impressions," Yusuke said.

"Shut up, Yusuke," I said. "And I'm not completely useless with videogames. RPGs and side-scrollers are just more my speed."

"Jeez, you're such a girl, Kairi," Trunks said.

"Jeez, your hair is so purple, Trunks," I said. He turned back and glared at me. "I'm sorry. I thought we were having a competition to see who could state the more obvious fact."

"So his hair being purple is more obvious than you being a girl?" Goten asked.

"I'd say that those two things are equally obvious," Orihime said.

"Trunks' hair is purple. You look right at it and you see purple," I said. "But with me you just assume that I'm a girl. For all you know I could be a cross-dressing man."

"Well, that argument is invalid because everyone here has seen you naked," Yusuke said.

". . . Not _everyone_ here has seen me naked, Yusuke," I said. "And stop bringing it up."

"I don't understand what you're so embarrassed about. I'd walk around naked all of the time if I looked like you," Yusuke said.

"Stop. Talking. Yusuke," I said.

"What? It was compliment," he said.

"You are not allowed to compliment my naked body, Yusuke. Just so we're clear on that," I said.

"Everyone else gets to," Yusuke said.

"Who is this everyone else you speak of? You are the only one who still talks about it!" I said.

"Well, obviously Kurama and Goten don't because you're related. Everyone else definitely still thinks about it at least," Yusuke said.

"No. No. No," I said shaking my head. "Nope. No. Just. . . No."

"You're in denial," he said.

"And I'd like to stay there," I said.

"You should embrace your hotness," Yusuke said.

"It's not so much about me not being comfortable with my body. It's more to do with the fact that you are too comfortable with it, which in turn makes me uncomfortable," I said. "Imagine if I randomly saw some picture of your junk and I just kept talking about it."

Yusuke scoffed. "They don't make a lens big enough for it to be photographed."

". . . I don't even understand why I consider you my best friend anymore," I said.

"Because I'm awesome," he said.

"And a pervert," I said.

"Not a pervert. Just a teenage boy," Yusuke said.

"My little brother isn't a pervert," I said.

"That you know of," Yusuke said.

"Hey! Don't you go putting your evil ideas in my sister's head," Goten said. "Let her go on continuing to labor under the assumption that I am perfect._ Because I am_."

"If it makes you feel better, I haven't seen you naked, Kairi," Orihime said.

"Actually it does," I said. "As a matter of fact, I'd like to personally thank everyone here who hasn't seen me naked."

"You're missing out," Yusuke said. "Well, expect you Trunks. You may not have seen her, but second base is really just as good as, if not better."

"Yusuke! Shut up!" I shouted at him and Trunks turned back and gave Yusuke a slightly puzzled look.

"So. . . Trunks is your boyfriend?" Orihime asked.

"No. Not anymore," Trunks said. "Or ever, if you ask Kairi."

I sighed. "And we keep getting onto subjects that I don't want to talk about."

"Yeah, I can see why talking about dumping someone in cold blood for a guy that doesn't even come up to my knees caps might make you uncomfortable," he said.

"I can see why it might make you uncomfortable too," Hiei said.

"Yeah, well that's one of the many things that makes me better than you. I have emotional capability of actually admitting something that makes me uncomfortable. But your emotions, like your height, are stunted," Trunks said. "And maybe you're one of those people who thinks that emotions are for the weak, but I sure as hell didn't get to be a Super Saiyan by holding back _anything _just because I was scared."

"Hn," Hiei scoffed.

"Silence. Shocking," Trunks said.

"And once again I find myself asking why you think I would want to waste my energy on you?" Hiei asked.

"Why don't you just admit it and say that you're threatened by me? You obviously have been since the day you met me," Trunks said.

"Threatened by what? Your purple hair and inability to see the obvious?" Hiei asked.

"For some reason I seriously doubt that I'm the only one in this cave with the latter issue, Hiei," Trunks said. "As for that dig about my hair, fuck you. At least it's my natural color. Everything about me is real, as a matter of fact. We obviously can't say the same thing about you."

"Trunks," I started.

"No," Hiei stopped me. "Please enlighten me as to what enhanced abilities your pastel colored hair endows you with since you're so proud of it."

"It doesn't do anything for me and I don't need it to which is more than I can say for you," Trunks said.

"Maybe you need a reminder about what exactly this eye can do," Hiei said.

"Hiei, cut it out," I said.

"You talk a lot of shit, Hiei," Trunks said, completely ignoring me. "It's one of the only things that you can do, aside from bringing down the average height of the entire group."

"Making fun of my height. You're almost as clever as Kuwabara is," Hiei said. "Go on, let's hear something else unoriginal."

"I don't think you've had your ass kicked enough," Trunks said.

"Both of you stop it, please!" I demanded. Without even thinking about I reached out and grabbed Hiei's hand urging him to stop fighting. Instantly he looked down to my hand and I looked down at it too. Then I looked up at him and he was looking at me. There was an intense moment of silence as before I finally looked away over to Trunks.

Trunks scoffed before turning away. "Of course, Kairi."

I let out a sigh. I was starting to lament the fact that Genkai had volunteered Trunks to come with us. She clearly didn't care much about the fact the Trunks and Hiei were likely to murder each other down here.

"Detective," Hiei said quietly. I looked over at him. "Do you mind?" He tugged on my hand.

"Sorry," I said. I let his hand go and dropped mine down to my side. It felt empty and cold now for some reason. On top of that I was feeling a lot of extra stress now walking down here with these two.

"Looks like you've quieted just in time," Kurama said. "It seems we've reached our destination."

Up ahead we could see the giant door coming into view. I don't think I'd ever been so grateful to be diving head first into danger in my life.


	18. Let's Play a Game

_[I'm running out of back logged chapters, but I'm trying my best finish writing this series (not much more left to write now) before the end of August because I'm about to start back work and school full time so I' won't have as much time to write and I still want to be able to post for you guys once a week. However, I'm going to be without internet for a while, so my update next week will probably be late as well, but it's written so don't worry!]_

"All right kid. We got your seven heroes. Now let us in," Yusuke demanded.

Suddenly music started play.

_"Welcome to Goblin City where your team of seven heroes must clash iron with the evil Goblin King and restore peace to the town."_

The doors opened to reveal large white room at the front of which was a large screen with a large letter G in the middle of it. Just in front of this screen was what appeared the control to a game like you would see at an arcade except that the screen of it was gone.

"Well, we're not in Karakura anymore," Yusuke said.

"You're in my territory now," I heard Amanuma say. "It sure took you long enough to find seven people. Jeez, even _I've_ got six friends."

A bright light flashed on. Sitting beneath the spotlight was a little boy in a strange yellow costume.

"What! You're telling me this is the Game Master? But he's just a little pipsqueak," Yusuke said.

"Trust me. I may be small, but when it comes to videogames my talent is huge," Amanuma said. "So let's play shall we."

"So I know I'm not going to be participating, but how does this all work?" Orihime asked.

"Well, you see that big ol' slot machine in the corner over there? That picks the category, game type and difficulty level," Yusuke said pointing. Over in the corner of the room was a colorful slot machine with three question marks on it. Next to it stood a large, dark skinned, shirtless goblin who was obviously a creation from the video game.

"It's team work. Each of us seven heroes is allowed to play only one game and we must win four out of seven of them to defeat the Goblin King," Kurama said.

"Who is played by me," Amanuma said. "Now stop you dawdling so I can pull the lever and we can play!"

"Hey, just hold on a second," I said.

"No! This is my territory and if I say we're gonna play now we're gonna play now," he said.

"I'm starting to get really tired of this kid," Yusuke said.

"I always imagined that if the Goblin King were to possess a child it'd be like this," Trunks said.

"That's a weird thing to speculate bout, dude," Goten said.

"Never mind that. We need to develop a strategy. Who among us has played Goblin City before?" Kurama asked.

"Ooh! I have! Me! Me! All the time," Yusuke said bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Okay, don't wet yourself," I said.

"I have too," Trunks said.

"And me," Goten said.

"I play it from time to time," Kiyoshi said.

"Excellent that makes five us including myself," Kurama said. "Now who among us has actually beaten the game?"

"To tell you the truth I'm hung up somewhere in the middle," Yusuke said.

"I've only gotten to the ending a couple of times," Goten said.

"You've gotten that far? Really?" Yusuke said.

"Twice," Goten said.

"I beat it three-quarters of the time when I play it at home," Trunks said.

"That's about my skill level as well," Kurama said.

"Damn. I really did set that game's record for sucking," Yusuke said.

"Still, those scores were all against the real Goblin King. This Game Master must be an even stronger player," Kurama said.

"Yeah. Why else would he have picked this game to recreate in his territory," Trunks said.

"Exactly. But before we can even challenge the Goblin King we must defeat three lesser goblins," Kurama said.

"Bored now. I'm spinning the slots and you can't stop me," Amanuma said.

"That's just fine," Kurama said. "Yusuke, Kiyoshi, Goten, you will take on the three lower goblins. After you have successfully done that, Trunks and I will decide which of us is to face the Game Mater."

"Well it's about time! Now pull the lever!" Amanuma said.

The goblin next to the slot machine pulled the lever and categories spun and spun and spun until they stopped on sports, tennis, level seven.

"Which one of you is up for a game of tennis?" Amanuma asked.

"Oh! Good! Tennis is my specialty! Please let me," Kiyoshi said.

"Help yourself," Yusuke said.

Next to Amanuma a fuzzy, video game goblin appeared flexing his muscles in his speedo.

"You're all familiar with the Sport's Goblin. I'm sure you know the skill of the goblin is equal to the level of the game selected which would put him at level seven," Amanuma said. "Will you all stop looking so unhappy? We're about to have a lot of fun."

The screen at the front of the room flashed different colors as it announced that a game of tennis was about to take place. Kiyoshi stepped forward up to the gaming consol.

"No hello for an old friend?" Amanuma asked. "No but seriously, long time no see, _man_. Get it? Seaman. It's a pun because of your name."

"I guess he's not old enough to know that if you have to explain a joke that makes it not funny," Orihime said.

"That is an ace observation, Orihime," Yusuke said.

"I see you haven't lost your sense of humor," Amanuma said when Kiyoshi didn't laugh. "So tell me the truth. Have you really jumped ship or are you just playing both sides? Because you know that's what I'd be doing if I was you and you know it's never too late to start."

"I'm on their side for real," Kiyoshi said.

"You know they'll never trust you," Amanuma said.

The Sports Goblin walked up to Kiyoshi.

"Hello! I am Sports Goblin! I like to work out and flex my pecs. See how they dance! And I want to have a fun game with you!" he said holding his hand out to Kiyoshi.

Reluctantly, Kiyoshi extended his hand and shook it.

The screen lit up and Kiyoshi and Sports Goblin appeared.

_"Singles match: best of five,"_ the game announced.

"That means whoever wins three matches first wins," Sports Goblin said before disappearing. A tennis court appeared on the screen, but then there was a flash of light and a tennis court was now sitting in real life in front of Kiyoshi at the game station. A replica of Kiyoshi stood on the tennis court clad in a tennis outfit, at the other end Sports Goblin stood, flexing his muscles still. Amanuma sat in the referee's chair, still wearing his Goblin King suit.

And then Sports Goblin served. Kiyoshi quickly went to work battling it out and scored the first point.

"And the first point goes to Seaman. The score is 15, love," Amanuma said. "Too bad you can't really play."

With that, Sports Goblin served again, nearly catching Kiyoshi off guard, but he went back to work.

"He told me you were always picked last in gym class and labeled an outsider by all of your peers," Amanuma said. "It was the same for me. Always picked on and looked at like I was some kind of freak, alienated by kids my own age and looked down upon by everyone else. But Mister Sensui says I was left out because I was superior to them while you were just excluded because you were too weak."

"That kid's a total troll!" I said.

"How the hell is he supposed to concentrate when that little bitch won't shut up?" Yusuke asked.

"But that's precisely what the Goblin King does in the game to distract you. You'd know that if you ever made past the intro," Trunks said.

"Looks like everyone took their sassy pills this morning," Orihime said.

Kiyoshi won his first match, but Amanuma remained a first class troll the entire time. Kiyoshi lost the second match, but he didn't give up. It soon became clear that, despite Amanuma's taunting, that Kiyoshi would be victorious.

And he was.

The game vanished from in front of us and Kiyoshi let out a sigh.

"All right, Kiyoshi! You did great!" Orihime cheered excitedly.

Kiyoshi started to walk back over to us, but paused.

"Amanuma, Mister Sensui was right about one thing, that I was weak. But that was because I wasn't willing to accept responsibility for my unhappiness and that's why I bought into Sensui's mission. Blaming the world is the coward's way out. But I was no weak link; it was because of my inner strength that I was able to break free of the chain."

Kiyoshi walked back over to us.

"That's what I like to see, a win right out the gate!" Yusuke said.

"Whatever, let's see how you do with the next one," Amanuma said motioning to his lever pulling goblin.

The goblin pulled the lever. This time we pulled out a level six flight shooter.

"Oh, hell yes. This one is so mine," Goten said.

"So you're skilled at this game?" Kurama asked.

"Am I skilled? Just sit back and watch as I bend this game over and make it my bitch," Goten said before walking off.

"At least he's confident," Yusuke said.

"Your genetics are frightening," Hiei said.

"Yeah. Sometimes I questions my parents for procreating after Gohan," I said.

The game _Battle Helicopter _came onto the screen and Goten did a little jig in place.

Just like with Kiyoshi, the game went from being on the screen to being incredibly realistic in only a moment. Suddenly, my little brother was transported inside of a helicopter and was taking off from the ground. The ground beneath us turned into a sheet of water and it appeared as though we were standing on the ocean.

"I know he's trying to destroy us, but this is actually pretty cool," Orihime said.

_"Each player has three lives. You must take out your opponent's base and helicopter before losing all three lives or you will have failed your mission. Now hit the skies,"_ the game announced.

Up ahead of us, Goten was flying off towards three giant battle ships. He quickly blasted the first one into bits and moved onto the next one. He attacked them, shooting them right down the middle causing a massive explosion. Then he came upon the third and sent it to its death.

"Your brother's awesome, Kairi! He cleared out the first level without making a single mistake!" Yusuke cheered.

Next, Goten was flying down a long path, out from the walls sprang guns, but did that deter my brother? Nay, he easily evaded all of their attacks before he came upon the enemy base.

"What's that's crazy! There's no way he'll make it!" Yusuke said.

"He's attacking the base directly. He'd have to be flawless to succeed," Trunks said.

"Way to really show that team spirit! I don't know how I could do this without your confidence backing me up!" Goten shouted at them.

At the center of the base there was a tall tower and around were tall, vertical blades spinning rapidly around it. Goten hovered around it for a moment before slipping right through the blades.

"Did you see that move?!" Trunks screamed.

Goten then blew up the tower in the center of the base and took off as the base exploded behind him.

Next the helicopter pilot. Just like the rest of the game Goten made short work of him. He landed the helicopter and the room returned back to normal.

"_I'm burning through the sky, yeah! Two hundred degrees that's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit! I'm traveling at the speed of light! I wanna make a supersonic man outta you"_ He sang.

"Please stop," Hiei said.

"_Don't stop me now! I'm having such a good time! I'm having a ball!"_ Goten went on.

"I'm doubting you know this song otherwise you wouldn't have walked into that so easily," I said.

Hiei turned and glared at me.

"You really are good," Amanuma said.

"Yeah, I know. Girls like me. Guys wanna be like me," Goten said. "But what are you so happy about anyway? I totally just handed you your ass."

"Well, you guys just wasted your most talented player on the easiest game that I have," Amanuma said cheerfully. "This is gonna be a piece of cake."

Amanuma's lever pulling goblin, set up the next game.

"Action battle. King of the mountain. Level one," Amanuma said.

"All right! What are the chances that on my turn it'd be a fighting game?" Yusuke asked. "Got any words of encouragement in the form of Queen lyrics for me Goten?"

". . . _Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the fandango?_" Goten said.

Kurama, Orihime, and Trunks all giggled.

". . . I don't get it," Yusuke said.

"No, you wouldn't," Kurama said.

"Go kick some ass, Urameshi," Goten said.

Yusuke looked over to me. I shrugged. "I never bothered to look up the meaning behind the lyrics to _Bohemian Rhapsody _either."

"Don't let us down, Yusuke! You can do it!" Orihime cheered.

Yusuke flashed her the peace sign as he walked over to the consol.

_"A tournament of monsters in a forgotten realm. All fighters clash at once in a battle royale. The last one standing becomes king of the mountain," _the game declared as the room was again transformed. This time to an open field where the sky was gray with storm clouds and in the back mountains covered the horizon. _"You have three lives."_

A group of fighters, all of whom had giant targets on their chest, came running out of the distance towards Yusuke. He kicked the shit out of them, missing all of their targets completely, and then seemed surprised when they got back on their feet.

At that point they immediately killed him.

"The fate of the world currently rests in this man's hands," Trunks said. "And he's a moron."

"So I know I've never played this game before, but I think you probably have to hit the targets on their chest to kill them," Orihime said.

Yusuke looked the men over.

"Oh, yeah! I thought they were just big bulls-eyes on their chests!" he said.

". . . But those are the same-," Orihime started.

"He's a moron. And you will learn," I said.

"I thought they were wearing them to be fashionable," he said. After this, he was on a roll, knocking them all out with one hit.

"No sweat," Yusuke said.

"Don't just stand there! Grab the power potion!" Goten shouted.

Behind Yusuke, a little blue bottle appeared on the ground. He turned around and grabbed it just as a giant goblin appeared behind him towering over him completely like a sky scraper. This ogre was lacking a giant target in the middle of his chest like the others. As soon as Yusuke turned around he was kicked across the board by the big toe of the behemoth.

"Well, now what's he supposed to do?" I asked.

The power potion flew across the sky and landed in Yusuke's mouth and he chugged it down. And just like that he grew to be the same size as the creature. He socked it in its nose and it flew across the game board and landed in the mountain across the board, causing the mountain to explode.

"Oh, yeah! Did you see that? I kick so much ass," Yusuke said. "Did I do the fandango or what?"

"You fandangoed it up out there all right," Goten said rolling his eyes. "At least you won."

"I'm starting to feel like I'm being insulted," Yusuke said.

"That's because you are!" Orihime declared.

"Thanks for the honesty," Yusuke said through gritted teeth.

Across the room Amanuma sighed. "AI is so disappointing." He threw off his yellow costume to reveal that he was dressed in no more than shorts and a hoodie. "But that's okay because now it's the Goblin King's turn."

"It'd be more authentic if he kept the robe on," Trunks said, rolling his eyes.

"He's so eager," Kiyoshi said.

"The first three rounds were necessary to follow the game's script, but this is what he's been waiting for," Kurama said. "Kairi, Yusuke, you're going to need a plan b. If Game Master's skill is equal to that of the Goblin King's in the game then it's likely that Trunks or I will defeat him and allow the rest of the team to move on. But I fear this child is far superior to even the computer's highest difficulty. Why else would he choose this specific game to bring to life?"

"True, unless the kid's got a fetish for losing," Yusuke said.

"So in case Trunks and I don't make it, you have to start finding a way out this territory, outside of the game," Kurama said.

"If you don't make it. . ." I started. He nodded. I looked over at Amanuma who was still excitedly preparing for his turn. He was just a little kid and yet Kurama still looked nervous.

"So which of you is going next?" Orihime asked Trunks and Kurama.

"That depends on the game," Kurama said. "It will come down to whoever is more skilled at it."

Amanuma pulled the lever.

"I hope it's an action game. I want to defeat you guys in style," he said. When it wasn't an action game as he had hoped, he was disappointed. "Oh, man. Not the quiz master game. This is like my least favorite game out of all of them."

"Good news for the good guys," Yusuke said.

"Let me take this one," Trunks said.

"Feel free," Kurama said.

"Just be smart out there, okay? Kurama thinks this kid is really dangerous," I said.

Trunks scoffed. "I think you'd all better duck."

"Why?" Orihime asked.

"Because I'm about to turn left and I don't want to smack you all with my dick," Trunks said walking up to the consol.

"Way to keep it classy, Trunks," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Hell hath no fury like a Saiyan scorned, Kairi," Goten said tossing his arm around me. "But maybe his rage translates into fighting as well as videogames, so you kicking him in his proverbial ball sack might actually work out in our favor."

"I don't know if what you just said was awesome or way harsh," Yusuke said.

"It's part of my charm," Goten said.

". . . What's a Saiyan?" Orihime asked.

"Aw, you must be new here," Goten said, abandoning and moving to put his arm around Orihime.

"That brother of yours is one smooth operator," Yusuke said.

"I've noticed," I said.

Amanuma finally walked over to the consol, chipper as he had been before.

"He just said this was his least favorite game and yet he's still happy and excited," Kurama said. "Kiyoshi, what can you tell us about Game Master's power?"

"I don't know. I never saw him practicing it really. I just knew he could bring games to life," Kiyoshi said. "I don't think he's used his power much. Mr. Sensui didn't really want him to."

Amanuma walked over to Trunks. "Good luck handshake?"

"You shouldn't spoil the part. The real Goblin King wouldn't give a good luck handshake," Trunks said.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Amanuma said. "This is a multiple choice quiz game. You get one point for every right answer and the first to ten wins. If you get a question wrong you won't lose points, but if you get three wrong you're disqualified."

"I know. I have played before," Trunks said.

"All right! May the smartest brain win!" Amanuma declared.

_"Welcome to the master quiz! First to ten points wins. Game start."_

Amanuma stepped back from the consol and crossed his arms.

"Lose your nerve, Goblin King?" Trunks asked.

"I think I'll let you have a head start with the first five questions. Let you have all the points, if you even know any answers," Amanuma said.

"That's generous. I think I might know a few," Trunks said.

_"Quiz question one: In the ama-."_

The question didn't even finish before Trunks chimed in. The answered filled the bottom of the screen. He chose C.

The game cheered. _"One point to Trunks."_

"But he only read the first word of the question. That's how I failed sixth grade science," Yusuke said.

"There are a total of 17,000 questions in the battle quiz database. Only three of them begin with 'in the a-m-a', which would have spelled out Amazon. The answers are always labeled the same and it's always C," Trunks said.

"I wish Mister Piccolo were here to properly call you a nerd in a manner befitting to the situation," Goten said.

"You memorized 17,000 questions _and_ answers?" I asked. "I just recently stopped writing the Pythagorean Theorem on my hand every time I take a math test."

"What's the Pythagorean Theorem?" Yusuke asked.

"It's house you find the circumference of a square. It's g equals mc squared times pi," I said.

"I'm sorry—who told you that?" Kurama asked.

"Uryu," I said.

"I thought you were exaggerating but he must really hate you," Orihime said.

"Is that formula wrong?" I asked.

"It wasn't even in the ball park of right," Kurama said.

"In other news, who would've guessed that Trunks would be a weird videogame expert and still be smooth with the ladies," Yusuke said.

"That probably doesn't matter as much when you consider that he's rich and good looking," Orihime said.

"True," Yusuke said.

The game continued to progress in our favor with Trunks showing that not only was a rich, good looking, Super Saiyan, but also the greatest nerd that the world had ever known. I could honestly say that it was spectacular and I was one of those people who was usually impressed by the videogame prowess, although I was sure in a normal setting where saving the world wasn't at stake I might not have been so forgiving.

Still, even as Trunks gained his fifth point there was something unsettling about the whole situation.

"Look at how intensely Amanuma is staring at the questions on the screen. I have to wonder if this is really a handicap," Kurama said.

"Come on. Trunks is way too good. He's just a deer in the videogame headlights," Yusuke said.

"I don't know. . . His eyes are so. . . Fearless. He's not scared and he's still sure he'll win," Orihime said.

"But Kaito's answering right at the start of the question. How can anyone be faster?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Yeah, last I checked, this kid couldn't stop time," Goten said.

"Now it's my turn," Amanuma said cheerfully. "A come from behind victory!"

"You're awfully confident for someone who hasn't answered a single question yet," Trunks said.

Amanuma scoffed at Trunks. "I know you think you're better than me just because you're older, but you're gonna be sorry you ever tried to play with me." He stuck his tongue out at Trunks.

The question started to appear on the screen. It got as far as displaying the number six before Amanuma chimed in.

We all froze. Blank questions dropped down onto the screen.

"You realize what he's done now. If a player chimes in before the question is read they don't get to view the answers," Kurama said.

"So he's just gonna guess?" Yusuke asked.

"Number six. This is a great question!" Amanuma declared. "'Nineteen days after the completion of the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament, what other world changing martial arts event took place?" Amanuma scrolled down. "The answer is B for the Cell Games."

Amanuma punched in his answer. The game cheered.

_"One point Goblin King!"_

The question and the four answers appeared on the screen and it was, verbatim what Amanuma had said to us.

"Either he's got the world's longest cheat sheet somewhere or he's got that whole question memorized," Yusuke said.

"But how could he have known it was going to be _that_ question? Even Trunks needed the first two words to sort it out," I said.

"I think that like Trunks, he's memorized the questions, but in addition to that he's also memorized their order," Kurama said.

"Oh, come on. That's complete crap. You're not supposed to be able to memorize the order of the questions. They're selected at random," Trunks said.

"It looks random, but it actually goes by a pretty complicated formula. I need the first five questions to figure out what track it's on," Amanuma said. "But now that I've got it down I'm going to be impossible to beat."

Question seven followed in the same way. Amanuma buzzed in early and punched in the answer. Earning him a second point. Trunks just stood there, fuming about his inability to do anything to stop this little monster.

"What is he supposed to do? It's like he's given up," Orihime said.

"What else can he do? He rightly assumes that he is not going to be able to beat Amanuma in this manner," Kurama said.

And that's when Hiei stepped forward.

"What are you doing? This isn't a tag team event, Hiei," Yusuke said.

"I'm going to try to shut this game off," Hiei said.

"Oh? And how? Do you see a power strip somewhere?" Yusuke asked.

"Please be careful. We're in Amanuma's territory. It's governed by the rules of the games and he can punish us for doing it wrong," Kiyoshi said.

"Yeah remember when you tried to attack Kaito in his territory when he said there no violence? Or remember that time when you said 'hot' in Kaito's territory after he specifically told you not to?" I asked.

"At least have to try don't I, unless you know of a better way to save your friend," Hiei said.

I sighed. Good intentions or not, Hiei was still as stubborn as ever.

Hiei ran at the screen and sliced it right down the middle with his sword. It went dark and there were sparks and sizzles of electricity.

"All right!" Yusuke cheered.

Just as Hiei was sheathing his sword, the game returned to normal, picking up where it left off, awarding Amanuma his fifth straight point.

"Darn," Orihime said.

"Well, we expected as much," Goten said. "Yusuke and Hiei must be study partners."

"Rude," Yusuke said.

"Can you guys please be quiet? You're distracting me from my victory," Amanuma said.

"I think this kid's too young be sassing us like this," I said.

"Yeah, I bet he still wears Velcro shoes," Yusuke said.

"It looks like the only way we're going to be able to stop him is if you guys actually beat the game," Orihime said.

Trunks chimed in on the next question before Amanuma got the chance to.

"What are you doing? You don't know the questions like I do," Amanuma said.

"Well, I can't just stand here helplessly and let you beat me can I?" Trunks asked. "Four choices right? That means there's a 25% chance that I could be right no matter what I pick."

"Trunks this is crazy!" I said. "If you pick wrong-."

"Then I'm no worse off than I would be if he was beating me himself," Trunks said. "I'm not just gonna stand here and do nothing. My dad would never let me live something like that down."

Trunks slammed on the B button. None of us was surprised when he got it wrong, only disappointed.

The game continued in this way. Soon Trunks used up another strike, but Amanuma had gotten back up to nine points.

Trunks buzzed in first on the last question. He chose c. We held our breath.

_"I'm sorry that's the wrong answer. You've missed three questions. Goblin King is the winner!"_

The quiz game faded away.

"You know, I wasn't too worried before when we were winning three in a row, but what happens if we actually lose Goblin City in this kid's territory? Videogame deaths can get pretty creative," Yusuke said.

Trunks walked back over to us.

"Sorry I lost you guys," Trunks said.

"It's not your fault we'd run into the one person who's even more of a freak of freak than you are," Goten said.

"Still, that kid's not right. I mean, He's all friendly, like he doesn't even know what he's involved in," Trunks said.

"Do you feel any different physically at all?" Kurama asked.

"No. That's why it's so weird. I mean, I thought for sure he'd take my soul or something for losing, but I almost feel. . . better," Trunks said.

"Yes, that would fit the pattern," Kurama said.

"I'm gonna start charging you money for being vague," Yusuke said.

"I suspect that even if we lost every game none of us would lose our lives as long as we keep playing," Kurama said.

"Yeah, but even I know that you die at some point if you lose the game. I'm sure of it," I said.

"Yes, but only when you're finished completely. When you fail in Goblin City you're given the choice to either give up or continue playing. As long as you choose to continue you can begin again without going through the introductory sequence. But if you give up the words 'the end' appear of the screen above the graves of your fallen heroes," Kurama said.

"You mean unless we beat this kid at this video game that he's probably been playing since he was conceived, we have to keep playing and playing so that we stay alive?" I asked. "We don't have time for that."

"But that must be the point. They didn't set this trap up to kill anyone. They must've done it to keep us busy while they finish opening the tunnel to Demon World," Orihime said.

"Precisely," Kurama said. "We're not fighting for our lives down here, but for time."

_[Sorry if this chapter is riddled with mistakes. I did my best to find them all, but if I missed any I apologize. Don't forget to review and throw any suggestions you have my way!]_


	19. End Game

_[So I'm switching the update day from Tuesday to Sunday being that I now work Tuesdays but not Sundays so expect another update next Sunday. Sorry this one took so long. As previously stated, I was without internet for a while, but no longer! As always, I am open to and encourage suggestions on improvement and reviews! Check the end for an extra note!]_

"Yep! Now that you've figured out my plan, you know that we have lots of time to play together, so let's play some more games! It's really fun beating you guys," Amanuma said.

"You've got to be the stupidest, most immature brat on the whole planet, and that means a lot coming from me," Yusuke said. "You and your stupid games are gonna get us all killed."

"Nah, once the tunnel is done, I'll throw the game and lose," Amanuma said, pulling the lever again. "Then you'll all be free to go."

"Free to go to what? By the time you're done with us the whole world will be turned into a demon parking lot," Yusuke said. "There's got to be something we can do."

"It's useless. It's just as it was in Kaito's territory in the stupid house. We're in the child's territory and we're bound to the rules of it and there's no way around them," Hiei said. Then he turned around and walked back and sat against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Goten asked.

"I know as much of games as I do of hugs and puppies, and care for them even less," Hiei said.

". . . You like hugs and puppies more than you like games?" I asked. Hiei glared at me. "Your words. Not mine."

"I hate you," he said.

"No you don't," I said.

". . . Wake me for the end of the world," he said.

I sighed and turned around.

"Maybe he's just filled with so much team spirit that he has to take a nap to keep it from overwhelming him," Orihime said.

"Nope. He's just the team cynic," I said. "So, Kurama is there any way that you can put a stop to this kid?"

"Actually. . . I'm more worried about defeating him than of him keeping us here," Kurama said.

". . . That's a really cryptic thing to say," Goten said.

"It's as Hiei said. Everyone in Amanuma's territory operates under the rules of the game. Thus our fate is the same of that as the challenger in the arcade. As long as we choose to continue, we can go on indefinitely. If we quit, our lives are over," Kurama said. "As Trunks demonstrated, Amanuma isn't immune to his own game's logic. I'm afraid this boy is naïve when it comes to the consequences of his own power. If he loses, he too must follow his game counterpart's fate. . ."

"Wait," Orihime started, "you don't mean that-."

"It appears that Amanuma was nothing more than a pawn in Sensui's shadowy grip," Kurama said.

Now I got it. There was a lot more to this plan than trying to kill or stall us. It was meant to fuck with our heads, just as Sensui had been doing repeatedly through his comrades from the beginning. We could either stay down here and play forever, or we could beat Amanuma and get out of here, but doing so would probably be the end of the boy.

It just wasn't fair. He was only a little kid. He couldn't have even been 12-years-old yet. It all seemed so obvious now. Amanuma didn't really know what was going on with the tunnel. How could he? He was just a kid. A stupid, naïve little kid. He was probably some social outcast like Kiyoshi who Sensui found. All it would've taken to rope the kid in would've been to pay attention to him if no one else was. He would've just had to have told Amanuma that he was special and that he was better than everyone else. He would just have to say that he was going to make all of the bad people of the world get what was coming to them if Amanuma helped him.

As I was thinking about it, it didn't sound too different from a proposition that had been made to me seven years ago. Of course Koenma hadn't been using me to try to destroy humanity all these years. My job was to protect people, which is something that I'd wanted to do. I kept telling myself that even if I'd known the dangers of my occupation I'd still have chosen to do it. But now, looking at how clueless and naïve Amanuma was, I was beginning to wonder if that was really true.

The game selector stopped spinning.

"Puzzles, Three-Seven, level G," Amanuma said. "Which one of you wants to play next? There's only three of you left. And one of you is actually sleeping! Not that I couldn't beat you in my sleep."

"I'll do what's best," Kurama said quietly as he walked up to the game.

". . . So what's Three-Seven?" Orihime asked.

"Combinations of numbers from zero to seven drop down and you have to arrange them so that the sum of three numbers vertically or horizontally is equal to seven which eliminates those blocks. You can also get rid of blocks by lining up three sevens in a row. The object of the game is to clear as many blocks as possible which gets harder and harder as they fall at faster speeds. If the blocks fill up to the top, you lose," Trunks said.

"So it's like Tetris, but with math?" I asked. "Just thinking about it makes my head hurt."

"It does get pretty hard. I once played for 36 hours straight without sleep trying to beat my own high score," Trunks said.

". . . The reason why you never took me on any dates is becoming more and more obvious," I said.

Trunks sighed. "Well, now that I know it wouldn't have made a difference I'm glad I didn't waste my time."

I sighed. "Well, I guess I set myself up for that one."

I then looked over to Kurama. He had a fist balled up tightly at his side and he was staring intensely at the game board.

"Amanuma, I have to ask you something," he said.

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked.

"Did Sensui instruct you to play Goblin City with us?" Kurama asked.

"Yeah, he sure loves this game and thought it would keep you busy. I told him I didn't care because I'm good at 'em all," Amanuma said.

"I need to know. . . Do you understand what Sensui plans to do?" Kurama pressed on.

"Of course I do. He's gonna open up this tunnel and have a whole bunch of demons come out and mess with people. I thought it might be fun. Plus it'll keep school closed for a few days," he said. "I think the best part is that while all those dumb people are running around and screaming, I'll be safe playing games in my territory."

My stomach turned uncomfortably at this.

"Didn't Sensui tell you that you're not going to be around long enough for all that?" Kurama asked. "You'll die if you lose. What do you think? Does it still sound fun?"

Amanuma seemed slightly horrified for a moment before brushing Kurama off.

"You almost had me there for a second. But Mister Sensui told me you'd try and pull something like this," Amanuma said.

"That's because he was counting on us figuring it out. Now I'm sure you've made it to the end of the game more times than I have," Kurama said. "When you beat the game, they vividly depict the Goblin King's death. It's an ending very specific to this game. You too must follow your game counter part's fate. Of course, Sensui never wanted you to practice your power playing Goblin City in your territory did he?"

"But how could you possibly know that?" Amanuma asked. "No, I couldn't play this because I didn't have seven people to play with! Besides, I never died in any of those other games!"

"But you never tested your powers in any games like this have you, Amanuma, where you take on the role of a villain who explicitly dies at the game's conclusion?" Kurama asked. "Is that correct?"

"I don't know. I guess," Amanuma said.

"Surely Sensui gave you some reason for avoiding them," Kurama said.

". . . Wait, so Sensui is putting his own man up on the chopping block to stall us for a few hours? Between you and Kiyoshi, Sensui's not big on building company loyalty is he?" Yusuke said.

"A man like Sensui is loyal to nothing but his cause and he doesn't care how much blood he has to spill to achieve it," Kurama said. "Not even the blood of an ignorant young boy who foolishly chose wrong over right."

_"Game begin!"_

Bricks started falling on the screen and Kurama and Amanuma began their game. My stomach continued to churn uncomfortably. I was going to be sick by the end of this.

"So call me a dimwit, but if Kurama figured all of this out why did he tell the Game Master instead of keeping it to himself and why did he wait until it was too late to stop the round to tell him?" Yusuke asked.

"It sounds like this Sensui guy had a strategic reason behind not telling Amanuma he would die in real life if he died in the game," Orihime said. "When you're young, you don't think about life and death. You feel like you're invincible. You're too young to die so you're never afraid of it actually happening."

"That's why armies recruit teenagers," I said. "That's why Koenma hired us."

"Come on. I died once and lived to tell about it. I know I can die," Yusuke said.

"And that's an even better reason, because we're people for whom death seems to have no consequence. Why would we worry about it if Koenma's just going to revive us or if someone's just going to go and get the Dragon Balls? How often have we thought about dying until it was a legitimate possibility?" I said. "Sensui didn't want Amanuma thinking about the possibility of dying, but he was counting on us figuring it out and not being able to think about anything else. It fits with what he does. He keeps testing our moral limits, to see if we can justify the kill."

"Well, we won't. . . Will we?" Yusuke asked.

". . . Kurama has. That's why he told Amanuma the truth to psych him out and make him weak," I said. "It's a dirty trick. . . But Kurama knows there's no other way out of here."

Amanuma was doing well for a while, but then he quickly made a mistake.

"Whoa, kid missed a pretty easy three-seven there," Yusuke said.

"Kurama's gotten under his skin," Trunks said.

Amanuma was distracted. His screen was quickly filling up. My skin was starting to feel cold and clammy, but I could feel my blood running hot underneath my skin. My stomach was in a knot. Nothing about any of this was okay. We had no other way out of this game unless Amanuma was dead. It wasn't fair because he was a child, and I knew that even though Kurama had volunteered to do this he didn't want to. At the same time, Kuwabara was in danger, and the longer we stayed here in his territory our chances of saving him, and the rest of humanity decreased.

Were Kuwabara and the rest of the planet worth the life of one little boy? It wasn't a fair question.

"Please, isn't there anything you can do?" Amanuma said pleadingly to Kurama.

"Is there any way for you to stop the game and void your territory?" Kurama asked.

"No, I've tried that. I can't shut off my territory while a game's being played," Amanuma said. "The only way out of this is if you choke."

". . . I'm afraid I cannot do that," Kurama said.

And he was right. It was horrible and wrong, but Kurama was right. He couldn't just give up the game and keep us trapped here.

"This isn't about choosing one life over another. You know what Sensui's going to do. I can't say you aren't responsible for your fate," Kurama said.

"But I didn't mean for this stuff to really happen," he said. He screen was filling up faster and faster. Both his hands grabbed onto the joystick and even from where we were standing we could hear him sobbing as he tried desperately to survive. A silence had fallen over the rest of us. I doubted if any of us was even breathing right now.

"I don't wanna die," Amanuma cried.

The knot in my stomach loosened and tears sprang up to my eyes. I quickly blinked them away and took several deep breaths, trying to maintain my composure despite the fact that this horrible thing was unfolding right in front of my eyes.

We watched as the screen filled up and up and up and then—

_BUZZ!_

Amanuma's screen darkened as the last piece filled his screen up to the top. The words "Game Over" appeared on his screen in haunting red letters.

Amanuma fell over on the ground and Kurama stood stark still at the game consol.

_"Rejoice for the Goblin King is dead and peace has been restored to the town."_

Beside me, Orihime sniffled and wiped a few stray tears from her eyes, but other than that, the room had gone completely silent.

The room then started to shake the machinery around us started to spark wildly and we all ducked down as an explosion overtook the room.

"Is everybody okay?" Yusuke asked, when the dust had cleared.

"Fine," Orihime replied as we got to our feet.

"What happened to Goblin City?" Goten asked, looking around. The room had been transformed into nothing but a large empty cavern.

"When Amanuma died his territory must have gone with him," Trunks said.

At the other side of the cavern, Kurama hadn't moved and neither Amanuma. Between them was a small video game consol. We walked up to them.

"There's your Goblin City," I said pointing at the game.

"He must've been very powerful to create such an elaborate illusion out of nothing," Orihime said.

Our eyes all looked down to Amanuma. He was dead. It was still sinking in that he was dead. Our eyes all shifted over to Kurama. He hadn't moved or spoken at all since he'd won the game. He hadn't reacted in anyway. I didn't blame him. I didn't think that anyone did. He had effectively killed Amanuma, an innocent little kid who had gotten in over his head.

I'd seen a lot of crap in my day as Spirit Detective, not much different than what I'd seen Kurama do now. I'd done things I wasn't proud of, things that I was going to regret for the rest of my life, all in what I was still hoping was the name of the greater good. But Kurama was much older than me and had done much more in his life than I had. He often said that he lived with a lot of regret. But since being reborn as Shuichi, as my cousin, his life was different. He felt different and had left that part of his life behind him. But now. . .

I walked over to Kurama, slowly, not knowing how he was going to react being addressed directly.

"Kurama," I said hesitantly, "don't blame yourself."

Kurama turned ever so slightly to look at me. A dark look had fallen over his face.

"I have no regrets, Kairi," he said firmly. He started walking away from us, towards Kuwabara, out of the cavern.

"I don't know what to do," I said. "I've never seen him like this before."

No one spoke for a long moment, probably thinking of something to say, but we all faltered.

"We should keep going," I said.

Yusuke nodded in agreement.

"I'm gonna go back," Orihime said.

"Why?" Goten asked.

"Master Genkai asked us to stay with you unless we ran into any problems," Orihime said. She walked over to Amanuma and picked his lifeless body up from the ground. "I'd say this qualifies and I don't think we should just leave him here."

I nodded. "You're right. Be careful going back, okay?"

She nodded. "Good luck you guys."

888

The rest of us continued on our way through the caves in almost complete silence except for Kiyoshi who would give us directions when appropriate. Kurama was at the head of our company, still quiet, still obviously grappling with what had happened with Amanuma.

"Hiei," I said in a hushed voice, "you know Kurama a lot better than I do. Do you. . . Do you think he's okay?"

"Hn. You think this is the first child Kurama has killed in his lifetime?" Hiei said.

"I'm sure it's not, but unlike some demons I think his view on that has changed," I said.

"Wondering what you would do in his position?" Hiei asked.

"I have been in his position," I said. "So I know it's not a good place to be."

"You don't strike me as the type to kill innocent people," Hiei said.

"Kurama doesn't either. The problem is that there's fucked up people out there like Sensui," I said. "And you don't ever really get over it."

"Then why are you asking me about Kurama if you already know?" Hiei asked.

Kiyoshi stopped walking, as so the rest of us came to a halt as well.

"Buddy, why are we stopping?" Yusuke asked.

"Just around that bend up there is the final corridor that will take us to Sensui," Kiyoshi said. "I just wanted make sure we're all ready to face it."

". . . Like I said, why are we stopping?" Yusuke repeated.

We turned down the corridor. It didn't take long for us to see a light up ahead through the darkness.

We walked into a large cavern. Sitting not too far ahead of us was Sensui, relaxing on a couch watching TV. Next to him stood a man green hair that came to the small of his back. At the back of the cavern was a large pool of water. In the center of the pond was a boat and in the boat were Kuwabara and who I only assumed was Gourmet. Hovering over the pond was the tunnel. Hundreds of low level demons were already pawing at the distortion in space, hungry to get out.

"You guys are late!" Kuwabara shouted at us.

"Don't worry, Kuwabara! We're coming!" Yusuke shouted. "This is some welcoming party you've got down here in this cesspool, Sensui."

I returned my attention back to the tunnel. It was hard to ignore standing so close to it. We all could feel the energy shooting out of the tunnel that had been enveloping Karakura Town over the past few days. But now, it wasn't just the energy from Demon World that I could feel. I could feel the actual distortion itself. It wasn't growing so much anymore, but it was shifting somehow. Like it was settling into place.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Sensui said, startling me away from my thoughts. "You can keep your sunsets and crystal blue oceans and snow capped mountains. Just give me a view to the dusk of human civilization and I'm the happiest man alive. The mark of true art, it has a profound effect on those around it. You're witnesses to history my friends." Sensui finally tore his face away from his television and looked back at us. "And trust me, you couldn't have asked for better seats to the end of the world."

_[So, I've decided that in addition to the next series (which is almost a fully formed idea in my head if I can ever decide on how I'm going to begin it, also I'm having trouble deciding on a title for it) I'm also going to be posting a series of one shots which I'll be calling "Eizou Hakusho" (just like the OVAs). It'll have stuff in it like that fight between Yusuke and Rando that I copped out on, scenes written from other character's POVs, scenes that I wrote that I didn't really have a place for, and I've been toying with the idea of writing scenes from Kairi's days as Spirit Detective before Yusuke. I probably won't post it until I finish this series but keep an eye out for it!]_


	20. In Which Kurama Might Be Slightly Peeved

_[Sorry for the late update! It's a holiday weekend after all! Happy Labor Day!]_

Sensui was easily my least favorite person. He spoke like this was some grand event and that we should've been honored to be here to witness it unfolding, but having once had a front row seat to the extinction of humanity, I wasn't really game to see it happen again.

And seeing the tunnel right there in front of me wasn't helping either. It was stabilizing and would be finished soon. The distortion in front of us was crowded with demons and as they clawed and scratched to get free, I could feel the barrier between our worlds weakening. It was as if there were a window in my mind, and with each scratch that they put on the distortion in front of me, I could feel the window getting closer and closer to breaking.

I couldn't recall a time when I'd felt this much psychic energy in my life. I looked over to Itsuki who was still watching the tunnel intently. He was the one who had made this, all by himself. He had to be much more powerful than I was.

"If you're thinking you've done this before, don't," Hiei said, once again, drawing me out of my head. "The world ahead of you is nothing like Maze Castle. They have tapped into the true depth of Demon World. Ordinary humans will shrivel up just by inhaling its rotten wind."

"We're getting to the real grit of the film, Detectives," Sensui said from his spot on his couch. "The finale is in about half an hour." On the screen where Sensui was watching, was some war film. There were helicopters flying and shooting. Tanks rolling around firing off. People running through the woods shooting each other. "The most repulsive part is that they weren't even fighting for anything real. They were killing out of fear of an idea that threatened their greed. It only gets crueler from here. And then the whole thing wraps up with a beautiful song."

"That's wildly inappropriate," Yusuke said.

"I always thought it symbolized hope. That's why I've timed the tunnel to open up when the music begins," he said.

And that was that. This meant that we only had thirty minutes until the tunnel was opened. This was just getting worse and worse with every second that passed. My neck was achy and tight from all the anxiety that had overtaken me since they'd taken Kuwabara.

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked Kiyoshi who seemed to be looking confused.

"I don't understand. Why is Mister Itsuki standing up?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Well he does have legs," Goten said.

"But every time I've seen him since I was first brought to the cave he's been sitting in that boat creating the tunnel," Kiyoshi said.

"It's probably because he doesn't need to do anything anymore," I said. "It's growing all on its own and can manifest itself physically without him."

"She's quite right," Itsuki said looking back at us. "Even if I wished to, I couldn't stop the tunnel from growing. It has a will of its own now."

Behind Kuwabara hands were reaching through, grabbing at him.

"Move away from the hands, Kuwabara!" Goten shouted.

"What the heck do you think I'm trying to do!" he shouted. Kuwabara was completely bound, sitting in the boat.

"Those must be C class apparitions fighting for his attention. They're simple, soulless creatures driven only by their appetites," Sensui said. The demons grabbed hold of Kuwabara. "When the judgment comes, you creatures may feast upon whatever you like, until then, don't spoil dinner."

Sensui created a ball of energy and shot it towards the demons. The hands grabbed onto Kuwabara's throat were incinerated and the rest of the demons retreated behind the barrier.

"C class demons are like seeds—abundant and worthless," Sensui said. "Only one out of every hundred grows into a B class with brains and strength that could easily surpass a human's." He looked back to us. "Want to tell us first hand Hiei and Kurama?"

Hiei remained unperturbed by this insult, as people were constantly talking down to him, Kurama however glared hard at Sensui, still in a bad mood from earlier and in no mood to be insulted.

"And from there only a handful take the next big leap to something close to omnipotence. Creatures unimaginable power fit for human legend," Sensui said.

"I'm getting really tired of hearing you talk," Yusuke said.

"They are the A class demons. They're probably watching us right now from the pits of Demon World. Waiting for their chance to rise to glory," Sensui said.

"Will you shut up already? You're trying to kill people you were supposed to protect," I said.

Sensui smirked. "I find that statement a bit hypocritical coming from you, Kairi, considering some of the trouble you've caused as Spirit Detective. Although I'm guessing your friends don't know anything about some of the darker things you've done while on the job."

I started feeling nauseous again as my friends all shifted onto me, wondering what Sensui could've been talking about.

"I'll take that as a no," he said. "Although who could blame you. I understand how you must be feeling right now. You who are so proud of your cause as Spirit Detective—to protect the innocent, to right the wrongs of your Saiyan ancestors, how could you ever tell your friends the truth about how similar you and I really are? Your job is the same as mine was, Detective Son—to protect the universe as a whole. And that's what I'm doing. I'm trying to help see the truth that you already know: that the human race is a disease. Killing humans can't be that horrific to you, Kairi. You've done it before. Your partner would have done it if Genkai hadn't been there, and Kurama killed a human child."

"I know what I did was. . . It was. . ." I couldn't quite get the words out. They were stuck in my throat. ". . . No. What I did doesn't matter. It's just you, Sensui. You didn't give Yusuke and Kurama a choice when it came down to Doctor and Amanuma. This is the whole planet we're talking about. A whole race of beings that you're trying to wipe out. It was for the greater good."

Sensui paused and turned back around to us. "And what if every human was bad?"

"I don't believe in hypothetical questions. It's like lying to your brain," I said. "Your argument is invalid."

Sensui seemed, as most people were when I spoke, unimpressed by my answer.

"Mister Makihara," Sensui said.

Gourmet jumped out of the boat and landed on the ground next to Sensui.

"That's Gourmet," Kiyoshi said.

"If you can kill Mister Makihara right now, I'll give Kuwabara back to you unharmed," Sensui said.

"What?" Trunks asked.

"Say yes! Say yes!" Kuwabara shouted.

"It's your choice. If you make any other decision, I'll deflect every other attack you have by using Kuwabara as a human shield," Sensui said.

Gourmet started walking toward us.

"Don't trust Sensui's word. We'll make a push for Kuwabara the first opportunity we get. For now just play along," Kurama said.

Thankfully Kurama was back to normal. Like Yusuke said, he was our idea guy. Without him we were pretty much useless.

"Touching Seaman. You want to save Kuwabara so very badly because he saved you, but at the same time you're terrified of letting Mister Sensui know how much your new buddy means to you," Gourmet said.

"What?" Kiyoshi said, seeming startled.

"And you, Kairi, you're terrified that Sensui will let your friends in on your little secret about Yubaba," Gourmet said.

My throat closed up. How could he have known that? That had been my last mission before Koenma brought on Yusuke to help me. How did he even know what I was thinking. . . ?

"But you've got a juicer one don't you Kurama," Gourmet said. "You're a lot more torn up from killing Game Master than your friends believe." Kurama's eyes narrowed. "Not only are you riddled with guilt, you're embarrassed. Yoko Kurama would never have been so weak."

I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Bingo. You never wondered what happened to that guy after he got out of the hospital?" Gourmet asked. I looked over to Yusuke.

"Murota, the psychic that helped us before," Yusuke said.

"You mean he ate him?" Goten asked.

"I'm gonna give this guy a piece of my mind," Yusuke said.

Kurama reached out and grabbed Yusuke.

"No. Let me handle this one," Kurama said. He was obviously pissed. "Do not argue. I am not in the mood."

Kurama obviously wasn't in a good mood. The anger in his eyes was undeniable. Killing Amanuma, having Sensui poking fun at him, and now Gourmet outing him like this had clearly frayed every last nerve he had.

He walked away from us and stood in front of Gourmet. He reached into his hair and revealed his signature rose. Kurama closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them, the rose sprang forward into a whip and wrapped around Gourmet's head at the mouth. Then with one seemingly gentle tug, Kurama sliced his skull off without hesitation.

Everyone in our group stopped breathing as we stared at an enraged Kurama.

"Wow. . . Looks like Gourmet was really a cut above the rest," Goten said.

"Is now really the time to be making jokes?" Trunks asked.

"Sorry. I'm just suddenly terrified and humor is the only I can keep from peeing myself," Goten said

"Like brother like sister," I said.

"Kurama killed Gourmet so fast. I didn't even see the whip until it was all over," Kiyoshi said.

Kurama walked up to Gourmet's dead body.

"Rely on impulse and not even your thoughts can betray you," Kurama said, anger still trembling in his voice. "Now come out—Toguro."

"Wait-what?" Trunks asked.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice? I could smell your stench since we entered the cave," Kurama said.

A muffled, but familiar cackle erupted from Gourmet's corpse and suddenly it rose to its feet. From the hole in Gourmet's head, another head rose up, making its way past the bottom row of Gourmet's teeth.

And there he was, the elder Toguro.

"Good, Kurama. It seems your powers have improved even in your human form, though the red hair isn't nearly as pretty as the silver," Toguro cackled.

I groaned. "And then there's _this_ asshole."

"Looks like he missed his Toguro vaccination," Yusuke said

"Gourmet must've eaten him to take on is powers," Kiyoshi said.

"Right you are, little Seaman," Toguro said. "But much to fatty's surprise, I'm the one who got the run of the ship."

"Then this entire time," Kiyoshi started.

"Yes. I play a real good game of pretend. "The story actually begins several months ago when a man driven to insanity by a whore and her students, hurt his dear older brother. I regenerated slowly in the sea, sending out a signal that only, how should I put this, on the mist powerful and evil beings could feel. I expected it to take years, but my wait was relatively short. To my surprise it was a human that found me, but he promised that I could get my revenge. Isn't that how you remember it Sensui?"

"When Toguro told me about the many achievements of the new Spirit Detectives I could feel the hands of the universe tugging at my arm. In the trial against humanity, the defense now had an able attorney. At last I could begin the sentencing," Sensui said.

"Pretty sure that's now how the court system works, but I guess I'll let it go being that you're insane," Goten said.

"I second that," Yusuke said.

"Sensui brought in the new psychics for his plan including this brainless lump. We both agreed my regeneration was taking too long and I needed another body. So Sensui let this ogre take me letting him think that I was the one being betrayed. It was merciless really. The poor ape had no idea what he'd swallowed. I'm like a cockroach with a brain," Toguro said.

"No argument with that statement," I said.

"The best was when he realized what was happening. That's when he became afraid. Fear is pleasure enough from the outside, but I could feel his terror from within as I slowly took him over! It was palpable!" Toguro began to laugh manically again. "It was fear so thick I could eat it!"

"That is enough," Kurama said, still not amused, still pissed. "You've survived for far too long." The cave had gone silent again as Kurama once again began to move, drawing the battle away from us. "And now it ends."

"Oh, the fox thinks he can finish me!" Toguro laughed. "But I'm better than before. Recovering from what brother did to me has only made me stronger. Now even if you pierce my brain or my heart I'll still come back. I'm invincible! Thanks to this oaf I can absorb any power I want! And I'll start with yours!"

Kurama didn't move. He stood there at Toguro ran at him. Then he crossed his arms in front of himself and from his sleeves a thick wave of smoke began to shoot out.

"Let me guess, he brought roach spray?" Yusuke chimed in.

"No, you fool. It's a smoke screen. One of his older tricks," Hiei said.

"Just when you think he's done everything, he does more," Trunks said.

The smoke shrouded Kurama and Toguro.

"Well, it looks like it's working," Yusuke said.

"How will we know if he needs help or not?" Kiyoshi asked.

It was silent inside the smoke for a while, but then Toguro started screaming as he always did.

"I've found you! Your thoughts tell me exactly where you are!" he shouted. "SCORE!" But then Toguro seemed upset. "So your body's tricky like mine!" Inside we could hear Toguro screaming loudly, but there was no sound from Kurama.

"Either that freak's beating the hell out of Kurama or someone's found where he's ticklish," Yusuke said. "I'm going in to help him. If it pisses him off he can sue me."

"Wait," Hiei said. "Why don't you look to you left?"

We all did and Kurama had stepped nonchalantly out of the smoke screen. He glared over at the smoke cloud.

"The deed has been done," he said.

"What does that mean?" Yusuke asked.

"I want to know who he's still screaming at," I said. "I've got a few creative ideas but they all kind of gross me out."

The smoke started dissipate and then we saw it. Toguro was wrapped up in the arms of some terrifying looking tree. It was a dark tree that stood just over his head, with roots growing from the tree into Toguro.

"What the hell is that?!" Goten exclaimed.

"Why won't you die?! Damn you, Fox!" Toguro shouted.

"It's the sinning tree," Kurama said. "It ensnares your mind with hallucinations of wickedness while it sucks away your life."

"Dende take the wheel, because I can't even right now," I said.

"He still thinks he's fighting you right now, even with him all wrapped up like that?" Trunks asked.

"Yes," Kurama said.

"But how did you get him all hooked up on it?" Yusuke asked.

"I used my rose whip to plant the seed inside of him when I took off Gourmet's skull," Kurama said.

"Talk about _planting_ ahead," Goten said.

". . . You're just as unfunny as your sister," Hiei said.

"Screw you. We're hilarious," I said.

"The smoke screen wasn't just to hide you whereabouts, but to act as a catalyst for the tree's hallucination's to take effect," Hiei said.

"I didn't want to leave things to chance," Kurama said. "The tree won't stop until its host is dead, and as you said yourself, because of your regenerative powers you are unable to die."

"I feel so weak," Toguro exclaimed.

"You will suffer for eternity here torn between your hate, your agony, and so be it. Rogues like you deserve to be damned," Kurama said.

Toguro continued to scream and wail in agony, shouting about being in pain and wishing for Kurama to die.

"Such a malignant soul will never accept the truth. The more he lashes out in his mind the more painful the sinning tree's effects become," Kurama said. The tree enveloped Toguro in his entirety and he was silenced. "Such is the plant's nature. Only your own sins can hurt you."

"Uh, Kurama, if I ever did something to piss you off, I'm sorry," Yusuke said.

"Me too," Kiyoshi said.

"And now only two stand in our way," Kurama said.

"You're right about that," I said. "Hey, Sensui, we dealt with your little man, so give us like Kuwabara like you said you would unless you'd like to join the ranks of people who've been eaten by plants."

"No need to get testy, Kairi. As I promised, Kuwabara is no longer in my possession," Sensui said.

"Whatever," Goten scoffed. "We can all still see that. . . He's not in the boat anymore."

Sure enough, the boat where we had all seen Kuwabara seconds before was empty.

"But how? I didn't even see him move," Trunks said.

Sensui motioned over and not too far away from us was Kuwabara still bound up, sitting now safely on the ground.

We ran over to him and Kurama quickly untied his mouth.

"Not being able to tell you guys how to fight is worse than dying," Kuwabara said.

"Focus, Kuwabara. How did you get over here?" Kurama asked.

"I don't know. One minutes I was sitting in the boat. The next I was all mixed around," Kuwabara said. "As soon as I got my wits together I was here."

"Did you see something?" Kurama asked.

"Well," Kuwabraa started.

"Over there," Hiei said.

On the other side of the pond there was a shadow moving towards us. It crept up beneath us and over took the floor. The ground beneath our feet turned fleshed colored.

"Okay, this is weird," Goten said.

"What the hell is it?" Yusuke asked.

Then on another part of the shadow two eyes opened.

"Fuck! It's a face!" Goten exclaimed.

The mouth beneath us opened and we all fell down into an empty black abyss before the mouth quickly snapped closed above us.

Suddenly we stopped falling and I found myself drifting and disoriented. The rest of our group was still there except for Yusuke. All around us there was garbage and debris just floating around into an endless black expanse.

"Where are we?" Kiyoshi asked.

"It looks like the bowels of hell," Kurama said.

"You don't really think so do you?" Kiyoshi asked.

"No. This can't be hell. There aren't any greased up German guys," Goten said.

"Well, where ever we are, I'd really like to be untied now," Kuwabara said.

"We are in the bowels of something, Kurama," Hiei said. "I'd say it's a dark soul."

"What's a dark soul?" Trunks asked.

"Sounds terrible," Kuwabara said as Kurama finished freeing him from his ropes.

"Oh! I know this one! They're really super old apparitions that live beneath the surface of the earth that swallow up human trash," I said.

"Correct," Hiei said.

"But we were not swallowed by chance. There must be someone else controlling this creature," Kurama said.

"Creature? Please, call him Uraotoko. That is his proper name." Itsuki popped up in front of, seeming to melt out of the darkness. "He's my pet. I tamed him myself."

"Mister Itsuki, the psychic behind the tunnel. Although, you're not like the rest of the psychics are you? I mean, you're not human are you?" I asked.

"You think a normal human would have been able to create that tunnel?" Itsuki asked. Behind him, six arms covered in eyes sprang forth from the darkness.

"Ah, so you're a Yamanate. Aren't you special," I said.

"What's a Yamanate?" Trunks asked.

"It's a very rare apparition with incredibly powerful extrasensory abilities. He's got six extra arms that he can move independently from his body," I said. "It's pretty impressive actually. I'd never have guessed that Sensui was in cahoots with a Yamanate."

"I don't care if he's a unicorn. Let's just get this fight started," Kuwabara said.

"Calm your anger, Kuwabara. I'm not here to fight," Itsuki said.

"Then why'd you bring us to this freaky place. Sight seein'? Because I've seen enough," Kuwabara said.

"I'm protecting the fight between the two Spirit Detectives," Itsuki said. "Though we are on different sides, we serve the same cause do we not? Protecting this battle through to its completion without bickering amongst ourselves. Yusuke deserves it. Sensui deserves it."

"The only thing Sesnsui deserves is a frontal lobotomy," Goten said.

"Yeah. You tell me one good feature that traitor has. One good thing that makes you follow his end of the world crusade," Kuwabara said.

"He has everything. He can be violent, courageous, spiritually pure, and even fragile. He can be a graceful spokesperson with charisma, and bring anyone to his side," Itsuki said.

"I think you just described Hitler," I said. "All he's missing is a shitty mustache and an addiction to speed. He's already got a taste for genocide."

"Make fun all you like, Detective," Itsuki said. "I know who he truly is. Indeed, I have been drawn to him like a moth to a flame since the moment I first met him. I first saw him in the darkness forging a path of light and I would follow him for hours, unbeknownst to him. Just watching him work would make me feel alive. My obsession grew. I started helping from the shadows, killing apparitions who wanted him dead. Of course, when he caught me, he wasn't grateful. I was just another demon to judge. He asked me if I had any last requests before I die and asked him to let me live for one more day because my favorite TV was airing its final episode the next day and I wanted to see how it ended. And then he laughed. I was the first demon to ever make him laugh. And so he let me live. I suppose I was his first step in realizing his relationships in good and evil could not be so traditionally defined.

"Whoever could have imagined that this hunter I admired for his physical prowess, this killer of killers, could also be warm, compassionate, intellectual, open to broadening his view of the world. Yes. I admit my attraction was not purely academic. I always wished he would become my lover," Itsuki said.

"Nope!" Goten proclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air and turning his back away.

"Yeah, you can stop right there. I don't think my ears are old enough for this conversation," Kuwabara said.

"If you truly care for Sensui, help us stop him," Kurama said. "The path he has chosen will destroy him as well."

"You can't save the damned," Itsuki said. "Don't you see? I'm expecting him to act terribly and hurt people, even to his own end. There's no way to stop it."

"Why not?" Trunks asked.

"Because, Sensui must follow his soul's true course. Drop ink on the finest snow white paper and it will inevitably absorb into black. Its purity demands it," Itsuki said. "Tainted men have immunities. Black does not absorb black. Sensui's change is but proof of his perfection and you cannot stop him. The ability to prevent his demise would prove that purity did not exist. Purity is worth the world, and worth it ending."

"You're really making me nauseous with all of you fancy lies," Kuwabara said. "You can't excuse him. He's a monster. Cut and dry."

"You're not listening to me Kuwabara. I'm not excusing him," Itsuki said.

"Then what the heck do you call that?" Kuwabara asked.

"Sensui is indeed becoming depraved, but I must let that happen because I know whatever he does to the world, even if it kills us all, it's what we deserve," Itsuki said.

"You should know that I will kill you if I can, without remorse," Kurama said.

"You will do what you must, Kurama. The battle will not be effected," Itsuki said. "My Uraotoko will make sure of that. You see, I'm the only one who can control it."

". . . If we kill him, I get the first hit," Hiei said.

"I'm afraid these surroundings are making us stir crazy," Itsuki said. "Let's have a better view." In front of us, windows opened revealing Yusuke, Sensui, and the cavern below. The Uraotoko had opened its eyes.

I moved to look closely through the eyes, first at Sensui and at Yusuke and then down at the pool of water below. My stomach lurched uncomfortably.

"What is it Kairi?" Kurama asked.

"You know how sometimes I get a really bad feeling before bad things happen?" I asked. He nodded. "I've got a really bad one now. And I was just thinking that. . . That vision I had. . ."

"What about it?" Hiei asked.

"If we were to escape from this dark soul from where we're standing right now where do you think we'd land?" I asked.

"In the water," Hiei said.

I nodded. Images from the vision flashed into my head. I could hear myself calling out to Yusuke; the sick feeling of fear I'd felt was starting to become more than just a premonition; it was starting become real. I could feel the fear pumping through my veins and swimming around in my stomach. I could already tell that nothing good was going to come of this fight with Sensui.

I clenched my fist tightly at my side, doing my best to try and calm myself down. Not only was the fear inside of me bubbling up, but my energy was starting to stir as well now. My flight or fight reflexes were starting to kick into overdrive and all I wanted to do was fight. I wanted to do something, anything, to keep what I thought was going to happen from happening.

"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit," I said.

_You'd better not let me down, Yusuke,_ I thought to myself. _Please don't let anything bad happen._

_[So, the next chapter is, and pretty much every chapter from now until the end, is going to be full of extended fight sequences, which has obviously never been my forte although I have improved significantly when it comes to writing them. That being said, it does take a while for me to crank them out and I want to make sure they're up to par, so if the next update or two is a bit late, don't be concerned. I'm just making sure I got all of the kinks out. Don't forget to review!]_


	21. And the Award for Most Insane Goes to

_[Sorry about this one being late. I've been getting different internet set up at home and they took longer setting it up than expected, but I'm all set up! I'd like to say there are no more delays but this weekend will probably be late as well, but that's only because my mom is getting married which is totally a legit excuse!]_

"Just seeing me fills you with rage doesn't it, Yusuke?" Sensui asked.

Yusuke was glaring at Sensui, ready to pounce and make his move any second.

"You know, Yusuke, if you continue this work as Spirit World's agent you'll eventually share my same fate. The things you see grow a canker on your soul and you cannot heal the sore. Do you want to know why? Because the canker starts to grow and consumes your soul. The evil you were chasing becomes you. Just imagine where you were a year ago before any of your noble detective work began. Would you ever have imagined murdering another human? Now your team has killed three in under a week. Just imagine where you'll be 10 years from now on that steep decline," Sensui said.

"Those were all set ups. You fixed it so that killing them was our only choice," Yusuke said.

Sensui chuckled. "We humans can justify anything can't we? That's how our corruption begins. That's why I prefer demons. They make no excuses. They accept their wickedness. Just as you will in time. Just remember this Yusuke. Accept your immortality. Once you do that your confusion will subside. No longer filled with guilt and anger over what you're becoming you can focus more on your fighting and you'll at last have your peace."

Sensui began to laugh, but Yusuke was unimpressed. He took a deep breath and then ran at Sensui. As usual, Sensui went in to knock Yusuke to the ground with a powerful kick, but Yusuke proved to be a fast learner and dodged coming around to get Sensui with a hard right to face.

"All right! Now that's a statement punch!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

Sensui flew for a bit before landing on his feet and sliding a few inches before he stopped himself.

"Maybe there've been times when I've been pissed off and hated everything, but it wasn't from this work. My dad's a no-show, my mom's a lush and school suck, but job is the one damn thing I've ever been good at and if all the crap in my life hasn't screwed me up yet, then neither will this and neither will you," Yusuke said.

Sensui wiped the blood from his chin and chuckled again. He started charging up his ball of energy in his hand as he had before. "You take things so seriously, Yusuke. You see, that's what I mean. Once you've accepted your evil nature you'll feel much more relaxed no matter the odds. Take me for instance. If your power ranking is a 10 mine is a six. Speed, strength, stamina, you'll beat me in all three and yet you're still going to die."

"Jeez, why is Sensui talking so much? Do you think he's trying to buy time?" Kuwabara asked.

"No. He's exuding as much confidence as ever," Kurama said.

"You're right, Kurama. I haven't Sensui this happy in a long time. He gets to kill _and_ prove a point," Itsuki said.

"You keep saying shit like that and you're gonna get punched," Goten said.

"Despite your advantages you can't win. Want to hear a list of reasons?" Sensui asked.

"We've already talked so much I don't think my attention span can take it," Yusuke said. "So let's just skip to the fun."

Yusuke charged Sensui and went into punch him, but Sensui blocked Yusuke with his free hand. Yusuke continued his assault, but Sensui remained calm and continued to block Yusuke. When Yusuke went in for a kick, Sensui was able to dodge easily. Yusuke got even more aggressive and went in for yet another punch. This time Sensui began to retreat, still holding his energy clutched in one hand, but my partner pursued.

Yusuke was fighting as he went at Sensui, pushing him back further and further. Sensui finally leapt back against the cavern wall and launched himself at Yusuke. Sensui threw his energy ball at Yusuke who was more than prepared for it.

But the ball vanished. Sensui went in for a kick, getting Yusuke right in the face and launching him clear across the cave, tucking him neatly in a crater the opposite wall.

Yusuke got back to his feet, now angrier than he had been before.

"Damn it! First you say I'm faster than you, but then you get the jump on me like I'm some little old lady crossing the street!" Yusuke exclaimed. "For once I want some honesty from the bad guys."

"You are faster, Yusuke, but it doesn't matter. Reason one why don't stand a chance: I can predict your moves," Sensui said.

"No one can predict my attacks! I'll have you know that I beat a mind reader, okay, I am too crazy to call," Yusuke said.

"It's not about being psychic," Sensui said. "It's about experience. You dodged my kick and I knew you'd answer with your favorite right hook to the jaw. Despite your speed, my knowledge of this allowed me to turn just enough so that your fist would slide off. I played a detective just like you."

Yusuke leered at him.

"I'm sure your partner is much better at comprehending this concept than you are. As skill goes I'm sure she far surpasses you with the amount of training and experience she has under her belt. Martial arts is her family's trade after all and she's been in this job much longer than you," Sensui said. "Still, even she wouldn't stand a chance because I've been doing this for decades longer."

Usually I could appreciate a person's arrogant nature after being around people like Vegeta and Hiei for so long, but Sensui was turning out to be the exception. He was finding it really easy to pick on me despite the fact that I wasn't down there to defend myself.

Luckily I could always count on Yusuke to take up for me.

He ran at Sensui as he had before and at the last moment flipped over his head behind him. Then, he came running at him from behind. As Sensui turned around, Yusuke punched the ground, throwing a mountain of debris into the air.

"You're up!" Sensui shouted, but a giant boulder fell from the sky nearly crushing him.

"That's called a fake," Yusuke said. And that's when he laid into Sensui with a barrage of punches, sending in him flying into the wall, bouncing off and landing in the water.

"If it's any consolation for Yusuke, I did not see that coming," Trunks said.

"Well played, Urameshi," Goten said.

"Now would you hurry up and let's get out of here! I haven't eaten since they kidnapped me," Kuwabara shouted.

The water in the pool remained still for a while longer, but the bad feeling that had been growing inside of me hadn't subsided. I knew this wasn't over.

"What's that Sensui? You forgot how to swim and you drowned? Good. We're getting out of here. Didn't you hear Kuwabara? He's starved," Yusuke said.

As if on cue, Sensui appeared from the shoulders up in the water, his shirt clearly missing.

"Nice hit, Yusuke," Sensui said walking toward the edge of the pool. "Between those punches and the water, my shirt practically dissolved."

Then Sensui stepped out of the water, and what a sight. His muscular body was covered in large, thick scars.

"Gross, look at all the scars he's got. I guess he wasn't lying about all the fights he's been through," Kuwabara said.

"Don't you know what they say about assuming, Kuwabara?" Sensui asked. "These scars aren't from enemies. No opponent has ever managed to hurt me that badly. I gave myself these scars as part of my training."

Sensui's sense of calm in this fight was now beginning to make much more sense. He trained so aggressively. If he was teaching his body to take a beating, simply punching him, even someone who could hit as powerfully as Yusuke, was going to be mostly ineffective.

"Now, let's fight like there's a little more at stake," Sensui said.

He raised his hand and up from the water came one of his energy balls. It floated up towards him and hovered by his head.

"Great now he can make things move without touching them," Kuwabara said.

"And that won't be all," Kurama said.

Itsuki chuckled as Sensui began to power up. His aura began to glow momentarily before the energy sprang out from his body and around him appeared a minefield of his deadly energy balls.

"How's Urameshi going to get to him now?" Kuwabara asked.

"I think the real task will be getting away from him," Kurama said.

"Perhaps it's time I stepped up my game," Sensui said. "Watch closely." The energy balls condensed down into one and he fired it at Yusuke with a powerful kick, shattering it back into its many parts.

Thankfully, Yusuke was fast, as Sensui had pointed out and was able to evade the balls of energy as they flew at him.

But all it took was one—one to hit him right in the face and his lucky streak was over. After that he couldn't dodge anymore and they kept slamming into him. Still Yusuke tried to run and when he did, Sensui was there, kicking him in the face and slamming him to the ground where Yusuke was unable to escape the final barrage of attacks.

"Do you think he's all right?" Kiyoshi asked.

"It'll take more than that to keep Yusuke down," I said.

_But not much more._

The dust settled and Yusuke jumped back to his feet, shirt a little bit tattered and extremely pissed off.

"Is that all you got?" Yusuke shouted at him.

"You are foolishly cocky, boy," Sensui said. "A regrettable sin. Reason number why I'm going to be you: when attacked from multiple angles your defenses are negligible at best. You think too linearly. You've been spoiled. As a fighter you've grown to comfortable with these gentlemanly one on one duels of yours."

Sensui prepared to fire off his attacked again. His energy was much more powerful than it had been that last time and my stomach started to knot itself up again.

"I had to find may opponents at once when persuasion failed, so this attack was born out of that necessity," Sensui went on.

"Oh, come on. You just did this one. Can we play another PE favorite besides dodge ball? You know I plan real mean game of four square," Yusuke said.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Yusuke," Kurama said through clenched teeth. He could feel it too. Yusuke was fucking around as usual but with each second that ticked by the situation became more and more dire and the reasons that Sensui ticked off for why Yusuke wasn't going to be able to beat him started to sound more like reasons why he was going to kill Yusuke.

"Reason number three why I'm going to win: the gap between your spirit energy and mine is far too great," Sensui said. "If your spirit energy could fill a fish bowl, mine could fill the ocean."

"Which ocean are we talking about because some of them aren't as big," Kuwabara said.

"It doesn't matter. The difference is too great. He'll. . . He'll be murdered," Kiyoshi said.

"Hey, Kiyoshi, if one more negative thing comes out of your mouth, I'm going to punch you in your face so it might in your best interest to just shut up," Goten said.

Sensui launched his attack at Yusuke as before and it was much of the same. Yusuke did his best to dodge, but one slip up was his downfall and soon he was on the floor being pummeled.

But Yusuke didn't stay down. He wasn't as smug as before, he looked strained, like he hadn't taken this round as well as he had before.

"Did you like that as much as you liked the first one, because there's plenty more where that came from," Sensui said.

Yusuke stayed crouched down for a moment, trying to recover from his beating and then he stood, ready to go at it again.

"If that's the best your Spirit Energy can do, then what's that say about mine? I've been I've beat Spirit Beasts and technique collectors. I took all their heads and I can sure as hell take yours," Yusuke said.

"There's a difference between me and them: I fight with divine justice on my side," Sensui said. "And justice kills."

He fired another attack at Yusuke. But this time Yusuke didn't sit around and wait to dodge. He ran head first into the wave of attacks.

"So maybe I can't dodge attacks from multiple angles, but sometimes the best defense is just kicking ass," Yusuke said.

"Individually, those spirit blasts aren't so bad. It's only when they reconvene and attack Yusuke all at once that he is powerless," Kurama said.

Yusuke leapt at Sensui and started assaulting him with his fists. Unlike before, Sensui seemed to actually be struggling a bit to keep up with Yusuke's fists.

"Reason number one why I'm going to smash your face in: I'm just better than you and I'm not as predictable as you think!" Yusuke jumped back away from Sensui into the air. "Bet you didn't see this coming!" And then Yusuke jumped into the lake.

"Huh?" Kuwabara droned out.

"You still think you know what I'm gonna do next?" Yusuke asked as he free styled his way through the water.

"Hey, stop clowning! This is no time to be taking a dip!" Kuwabara complained.

"He's never been one for good manners," Hiei said.

Yusuke waded over to the edge and jumped out.

"I've got to admit, that was very refreshing," Yusuke said. "And now I'm ready to go a few more rounds." Yusuke ran at Sensui.

"And now we return to your old, conventional punches," Sensui said. "It's a disappointment to see that your brief spontaneity was merely a brief reprieve."

"That's way too many big words," Yusuke said. Sensui prepared to block as he normally did, but then Yusuke ripped off his shirt and snapped around both his and Sensui's arm so they were now connected.

"That should hold off Sensui's Reshuyuken blocking technique, at least for the moment," Kurama said.

"What mockery is this? This isn't martial arts!" Sensui exclaimed.

"No, it's called street fighting. Guess you didn't see it coming," Yusuke said. He punched Sensui into the air and slammed him into the ground. "And you can't get away and no more fancy blocks!" He then proceeded to repeatedly slam his fist into Sensui's face. "I never pegged you as being this much of a wuss."

We all heard the gunshot. We all saw the t-shirt around their wrists rip away and Yusuke flew away from Sensui and landed on the ground.

Yusuke laid there, in obvious pain and Sensui climbed to his feet. He held up his right arm and on it was the barrel of a gun.

"How does someone do that?" Trunks asked.

"It must've taken restraint to hold back on that for as long as he did," Hiei said.

"Stop your whining! You were acting like a little bitch. Now stop whining and get off your stinking ass," Sensui said, only the voice was different. Everything about him was different, the way he carried himself, the words he used.

"That doesn't sound like Sensui," Kurama said.

"Yeah, he's got a potty mouth now," Kuwabara said.

"It's not him," Itsuki said. We all turned back to look at him. "He has been substituted now. The only person that can produce that weapon is the ruffian known as Kazuya."

"What? We've been watching this fight the entire time and nothing's come or gone, except maybe your marbles," Kuwabara said.

". . . Split personalities!" Kurama exclaimed.

"Oh, come on! Isn't today already weird enough!" Goten said.

"Indeed. There are seven all coexisting within Sensui's brain. Each with distinct traits and talents," Itsuki said. "His subconscious created them to cope with the madness. It's an impulsive defense mechanism. Witnessing things beyond the range of normal human experience, most would go into shock. Sensui has seen much in his lifetime, but nothing like that night. He created the others to bear the brunt of that trauma and ever since he's escaped from personality to personality looking for answer to the dilemmas that have plagued his soul."

"Great, so he's legitimately fucking insane," I said. "That's a total game changer."

"He's got a whole insanity tag team!" Kuwabara said.

"Kazuya is by far the most cold blooded of the seven," Itsuki said. "He's been known to torture small children purely for its entertainment value."

"I am so fucking over this day," Trunks said.

Kazuya was proceeding to kick Yusuke around in the ground and stomping on the wound in his stomach. I wanted nothing more than to tag in for my partner and kick Sensui—Kazuya, in his face.

And I was the only one. Kuwabara's rage had clearly surfaced as he pulled out his Spirit Sword.

"I'm slicing us out of here!" he said leaping forward and slicing, pointlessly at the face of the dark soul.

"We ain't officially met, though we do have a friend in common, though personally, I think Minoru's a bit chatty for my taste. But I like that list of his. There's something I'd like to add," Kazuya said. "The fourth reason why you're gonna get skinned, because kid, you ain't totally off your guard yet."

He shot at Yusuke with the gun on his arm, purposefully missing, toying with him. Kuwabara was busy swinging at the demon's face and only stopped when Hiei came to his side with his own sword in a vain attempt to cut his way out as well.

"It's no use," Itsuki said. "Those weapons and your faith in them are nothing more than an insult to my Uraotoko."

"You know what Itsuki, fuck off. And when you get there, fuck off from there too. Then fuck off some more. Keep fucking off until you get back here, and then fuck off again," I said.

I was resisting the urge to scream. That bad feeling was boiling up in the pit of my stomach and as Yusuke laid helplessly on the ground it only grew worse. My nerves were fraying. I was going to snap soon.

"So now that you're the one lying there taking it, how about you tell me how it feels," Kazuya said. Yusuke didn't answer. "That look you're giving me. . . You're looking at me like I've gone off the deep end. You think I'm crazy, punk?" He held up his gun. He started shooting at Yusuke, this time, taking care not to miss. And we were forced to listen to him screaming, watching as he got holes shot into him.

"I can't do this anymore, you guys," I said. "We have to do something."

"You'll never experience any pleasure without feeling any pain," Kazuya said. He reached down and picked Yusuke up by his head. "You've got the face of a little angel. Too bad I've gotta bust it."

Kazuya raised his gun arm and the barrel started to glow beneath Yusuke's chin. I was finding it hard to breathing, I could feel my energy burning hot beneath my skin as I struggled to suppress it.

"Not like this," Kurama said.

"But he was only hope," Kiyoshi said.

I could feel myself reaching out, grabbing at some kind of miracle, but after what I'd seen, this horrible dark feeling that was starting to overtake me, a voice inside of me was saying that no miracle was coming.

"Shinobu!"

A voice at the end of the cavern called out. Kazuya paused, as we all did to see who had shown up. And there he was. My usually cowardly boss had popped back up, looked just as stressed and irritated and angry as the rest of us. The Prince of Spirit World had come to battle.

"Let him go," Koenma said sternly.

"Shinobu ain't here," Kazuya said.

"Nice timing," Yusuke strained out.

I let out a deep breath as I relaxed slightly, knowing that at least for now Koenma had saved Yusuke's life. As I exhaled, my eyes glazed over with tear. I blinked them away. The stress was getting to be too much. I was going to snap soon if this kept. I didn't know what Koenma was doing here, but I could only pray that he had a plan.


	22. The Game Changers

_[I was so close to having this posted on time despite my maid of honorly duties at my mother's wedding, but no. My computer took a shit on me and ate half the chapter because for whatever reason auto save didn't want to work for me so I hate to rewrite most of it. Whatever. Enjoy. Don't forget to review.]_

"Just stay back," Yusuke warned Koenma.

"Hey you shut your pretty boy face," Kazuya said threatening him with the gun again.

"Ugh! We can't even help him! I can't take it!" Kuwabara said.

"But you don't have a choice," Itsuki said. "The specters belly is a separate reality and we are trapped inside. The only way to transfer out of it would be through my power, which I'm sure you will never posses."

Kuwabara ran at Itsuki with his Spirit Sword raised before Trunks and Goten pulled him back.

"What'd you do that for? I was going to smash him," Kuwabara said.

"Think about it. If Itsuki is the only one who can get us out of here, if you kill him we'll be trapped," Goten said.

"Come on, Shinobu. Doesn't humanity have enough sins?" Koenma asked from below.

"This ain't a sin. It's just the first step in pushing justice and order in the universe. If it makes you feel better we can call it capital punishment," Kazuya said, putting the gun back to Yusuke's head.

"Don't do it," Koenma said.

"There's nothing I like more than brains on a wall," Kazuya said.

But then I felt it, Yusuke Spirit Energy, growing and growing. From the tip of his right index finger he was building for a Spirit Gun. Kazuya tossed him up and kicked him in the face away from himself before Yusuke fired it into the wall of the cave, then he fell over.

"I didn't realize you had so much energy left. You nearly caught me by surprise," Kazuya said.

"Well imagine my surprise. I had a whole mental picture of you as a heap of charcoal," Yusuke said. He fell back onto the ground.

"No! Get up!" Koenma pleaded. Kazuya laughed. "This is enough Sensui. Do you really think I'm going to let you continue on like this? I'm no human. I have no limitations. I'll stop you whatever the cost. Since I helped make you, I'll give you warning, stop this now before I have to act."

"Helped to make me? Yeah, you have no idea how right you are. It's just freaking hilarious. Can't get me if you don't know who I am," Kazuya said.

"I know you well enough," Koenma said.

"Nah. You know that goodie two shoes, Shinobu. But you don't got the smallest tip off on me. So let me give you the first peek. The name's Kazuya and Shinobu's taking a little nap right now which was my idea. I show up when the other six can't handle it."

"Hold on, the other six?" Koenma asked.

"That's right. It's a party in here. Don't get me wrong, some may rub me the wrong way but we see enough in common. We all formed this plan together," Kazuya explained.

"It all started that day he saw the massacre and killed all those humans," Itsuki said. "The guilt was too much so he created Kazuya to take responsibility for his deplorable acts. But soon he saw that violence would not be enough. He would need to lie and manipulate people to recruit help, more sins he could not face, so Minoru appeared, the orator. And so on, at every moral crisis Shinobu faced a new personality would appear to do the work. It solved the problem of how once can punish if doing so means you must commit the very same sins. That would allow Shinobu's soul to remain morally undefiled. Of the seven personalities, one of them is a girl. She had a beautiful mind, capable of the most delicate words and thoughts of poetry I've ever heard spoken. She would talk to me in the dead of night, always crying, venting sorrows, that if not expressed, would have killed Sensui from a broken heart. Besides Shinobu, I favor her the most. Sometimes, I think we're in love."

"I think I've exceeded my weirdness quota for the rest of my life," Trunks said.

"I don't doubt you Kazuya, and I honor your true existence, but I admit I cannot identify with you. Please, call Shinobu. I need to speak with him," Koenma said.

Kazuya tilted his head back slightly.

"Hey, Shinobu, you awake yet?" Kazuya asked. There was silence as we waited for a response. "Hey, Shinobu." Again there was silence, but then Kazuya returned his stare to Koenma. "He says he don't wanna talk to you. He hates you too much."

". . . But he does pay attention to what I'm saying, doesn't he Kazuya," Koenma said. That's when he took a different approach. "Shinobu, this isn't the way to get what you want. It's not too late to stop and turn back."

"Sorry Princey, but you're wrong about that," Kazuya said. They looked over to the tunnel. "The calming period is over. It's stabilized. Face it, little prince, we've all chosen our fate."

"Then so have I," Koenma said. And then he removed his pacifier.

I gasped. "Holy crap! He took out his pacifier! Hit just got real."

"What happens when he takes out his pacifier?" Kiyoshi asked.

"I have no idea, but I imagine it can't be anything good," I said.

"You're just a wealth of knowledge," Hiei said.

And then the pacifier began to glow and give off a strong energy.

"I don't believe. A Ma Fu Kan," Kurama said.

"And that is a what?" Goten asked.

"It's one of the most powerful defensive spells in Spirit World. It creates a barrier net, much like the one between the Living World and Demon World," Kurama said.

"But just think, Koenma never takes that pacifier out. He's been pouring his spirit energy into that thing for centuries which is probably why he never takes it out. Any barrier net that Ma Fu Kan creates has got to be infinitely more powerful than the one in the pseudo space," I said. "Shit just got _very_ real."

"If I release this Ma Fu Kan, I'll first seal up this precious tunnel you've thrown your life away creating, and then I'll trap you inside the net, and you'll never move again. I've kept this thing between my teeth for most of my existence, pouring my spirit energy into it for humanities next dark day in a couple hundred years, but you give me no choice but to use it now," Koenma said.

"Well you're just as stupid as Shinobu says," Kazuya scoffed. "You can't use that fancy weapon on little ol' us. Who's going to save the humans in that supposed dark time?"

"We must handle each new dilemma as it comes to us. If your plan is allowed to continue, in a few hundred years there will be nothing left to save," Koenma said. "This way your conspiracy will end, unless you plan to kill me."

"My, my. You really ain't screwing around," Kazuya said.

"You should consult with your other sides. Are you really ready to be damned?" Koenma asked. "Because surrendering and torment are your only choices."

"We'll talk it over," Kazuya said. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

There was a long silence. No one spoke. No one joked. We just waited, hoping that for once this was going to be a relatively painless operation.

"We've come to our choice," Kazuya said when he opened his eyes. "It unanimous. We're continuing our plan as soon as I kill you off." He raised his gun and pointed it at Koenma's face.

I let out a sigh. Of course.

Koenma prepared to engage the Ma Fu Kan and Kazuya prepared to fire.

And then for some reason, at that very moment, Yusuke decided that now was a good time to get up on his feet and knock the pacifier from Koenma's hand and then caught it himself.

"Why are you being a butt wipe, Urameshi?!" Goten shouted.

"You idiot! Why did you interfere?" Koenma asked.

"Maybe I got a concussion, but I'm the damn detective and this is my case to solve," Yusuke said. "If you go wasting away, Mister Pacifier, that means I've failed—it's so nasty that it's covered in spit."

Yusuke approached Kazuya. "You should thank Koenma for buying me time for some beauty sleep."

"Right. I forgot you inherited that wench's spirit wave. It makes you a pretty fast healer," Kazuya said.

"Don't bother with the bull. Let's just get back to killing each other," Yusuke said.

"Don't be ridiculous. You don't stand a chance against him. Give me back the Ma Fu Kan," Koenma said.

"I'm trying to do this nice way," Yusuke said.

"What's the alternative? You gonna tie me up with your shirt?" Koenma asked.

"No. It goes a little something like this," Yusuke said. And with that, Yusuke socked Koenma right in the face, knocking him to the ground several feet away.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," Yusuke said. Then he turned back to Kazuya. "Now it's just you and me now, like it should be. One of you in there said you didn't care about that tunnel now. Well that's exactly how I feel. The world ends, the world survives. I don't care. All I care about is making sure that you're friggin' beaten."

"Well, that's reassuring," Kurama said.

"He needs to sort out his priorities," I said.

"Your name's Kazuya, right? The guy with the gun. Well go get me someone else," Yusuke said.

"Say what?" Kazuya asked.

"That's right. Take your gravelly voice and run back to the biker bar. Show me the top man," Yusuke said.

"You're really brainless aren't you kid? I'm out because I do the sick work," Kazuya said.

"You don't get it. I can't waste time on you. You're too easy," Yusuke said.

Kazuya didn't like that very much, and was now fuming. He raised his arm again to shoot Yusuke, but having gotten his second wind (also probably tired of being shot), Yusuke quickly grabbed hold of his arm and punched him as hard as he could muster right in the stomach. Kazuya dropped down to his knees clutching his stomach. Yusuke grabbed his arm, obviously he'd had to work really hard to hurt Kazuya that way.

"Be nasty all you want. I don't care if you torture cute animals. That doesn't make you strong," Yusuke said. "Now show me your real leader. I wanna beat your strongest side so I know it's done. You got it?"

"I can take him! I can take him!" Kazuya shouted. And then silence. We watched, knowing the change was happening. He slowly stood up. I could tell just from the expression on his face that this one was different. He didn't seem so angry. He was softer. Almost kinder.

"Which freak am I talking to now?" Yusuke asked.

"I am Shinobu. It's an honor to meet you," he said.

This was the real Sensui. The real ex-Spirit Detective. The one who was the brains behind this whole operation. The one who'd been to hell and back, but didn't make it out all right.

"My colleagues have told me a lot about you, but at last we can finally meet in person," Shinobu said. "To be honest, this is the first time I've shown my face to anyone in months." He walked up to Yusuke, slowly, and extended his hand to shake Yusuke's.

". . . This is kind of like a prisoner tipping his executioner for a clean cut," Yusuke said.

But Yusuke wasn't one for the niceties. He went in for a punch. Shinobu grabbed Yusuke's arm and flipped him behind him. Then Shinobu proceeded to stomp Yusuke in the stomach and punch him to the ground with Kazuya's gun. Now that Yusuke was lying on the ground unmoving like a rag doll, Shinobu reached down and shook his hand.

"The pleasure is mine," Shinobu said. Pissed, Yusuke sat up and went in to punch him again, but Shinobu was quick, easily stepping out of the way, before gingerly strolling toward the edge of the small pond. He then turned to face us in the dark soul. "Itsuki, may I have the honor of a fresh shirt, please."

"I've never seen Mister Sensui like this before," Kiyoshi said.

"Yes. I daresay he sounds innocent," Kurama said.

"That's because he is," Itsuki said. I groaned. Of course he was going to say something. "In his reality, Shinobu has never committed a crime. He knows his other sides have done wrong, but he's able to separate himself from it and grieve for them, knowing they only did what was necessary. Such a complex side. That's why I like him the most."

"That doesn't make him innocent. That just makes him insane. Just because you separate yourself from something doesn't make it so that you're not doing it, and even if it did, Mister Itsuki, there are two kinds of evil people in this world: the kind who do evil and the kind who see evil being done and don't do anything to stop it. His six other sides might do all the dirty work, but not doing anything to stop it and just feeling bad about it doesn't make him innocent. It makes him an asshole. So fuck you and fuck him," I said.

I couldn't explain, but now I was feeling worse than ever. My fear was starting to become unbearable, but with it there was this rage I was trying hard to suppress as well. Seeing Shinobu, the real Shinobu, had somehow set me off. I could feel it buried deep inside my chest, past the anger, past the fear, that there was something about Shinobu. That everything that I felt right now was because of him. Shinobu Sensui's appearance was the crucible to the vision I'd had. This was the turning point.

"This is gonna be fun," Yusuke said as Shinobu finished putting on his new shirt courtesy of Itsuki's independently moving arms.

"Be honest, are you still strong enough to face me?" Shinobu asked.

"As it turns out I just did a little power inventory and it turns out that I have exactly enough left to kick your ass," Yusuke said.

"Oh? You mean you really believe that's possible?" Shinobu asked.

He began to laugh and wild, possessed look came over his eyes. I could feel his energy beginning to grow and grow. The ground beneath him began to crack. The roof of the cave began to tremble and quake and chunks of it started fall to the ground.

And then I felt it. He began emitting huge amounts of a strange energy.

"Great. Spirit Energy that makes my head hurt," Yusuke said.

"That is not Spirit Energy," Kurama said.

"And it isn't Demon Energy either," Hiei said.

"And it's definitely not his ki this time," I said.

"Then what is it? Solar?" Kuwabara asked.

Koenma had finally come to after his tango with Yusuke's fist and was staring in awe at Shinobu.

"It's not possible. He's mastered the sacred energy," Koenma said.

His power was still growing and this new development had meant that things were as bad as they were going to get.

"What's Sacred Energy?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Sacred Energy is the highest echelon of power that any being can harness. But how could you? It take forty years of discipline at least," Koenma said.

"Forty years between seven personalities is six years. Of course even the training is no guarantee. You need to be receptive to it. Having an inherent desire to correct the world around you. Something Genkai discovered she did not posses," Shinobu explained.

"What?" Yusuke asked.

"Even your master has her limits," Shinobu said. He flexed his energy causing both Yusuke and Koenma to struggle to stay on their feet. "Sacred Energy is about operating on a higher plain, transcending the physical realm." He flexed his energy once more and began to lay into Yusuke, tossing him back against the cave wall.

I was trembling as Yusuke got to his feet. Shinobu's energy was unreal for a human. The only time I'd felt anyone giving off this kind of energy, we were facing Majin Buu. Buu was still much more powerful than Shinobu, but his power was growing and his power level was quickly closing the gap between him and Buu's original form. It had been years since I'd felt this kind of energy and I was shaken and more than anything I knew—I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yusuke could not win. Even if he was at one hundred percent, which he certainly wasn't now, he could not win. He just wasn't strong enough.

Yusuke ran at Sensui and began punching at him fiercely, to no avail. He charged up his fists with Spirit Energy and even that wasn't enough. Shinobu laughed mocking him and Yusuke jumped back, preparing to attack again. Yusuke went in for the kill, but just inches from his face, Shinobu grabbed Yusuke's arm and stopped him short.

"You're tired. You should take a break now," Shinobu said. And then, as calmly as ever, he took his fist to the underside of Yusuke's arm and by barely exerting any effort at all, we listened as the bones in Yusuke's arm broke.

Yusuke let out a howl of pain, and the Ma Fu Kan slipped from his hand. Sensui went to grab it.

And then suddenly a shoe.

Shinobu was interrupted by Yusuke's dirty, white, sneaker connecting with his face. There was a moment of silence as the shoe fell from Shinobu's face to the floor. Yusuke had caught the Ma Fu Kan between his toes in lieu of his broken arm.

"You're getting sloppy, Sensui," Yusuke said.

"Hey, I have to put that back in my mouth," Koenma said.

"I know what you're planning to do," Shinobu said, smirking as he recovered from being smacked in the face with a shoe.

"Well, it sure beats giving up," Yusuke said.

Koenma stumbled over to Yusuke.

"Shinobu," Koenma started. "It's me."

"Shut up, Koenma!" Yusuke shouted.

"You don't have to do this," Koenma said.

"Sorry, Koenma, but you don't have a clue what I have to do!" Yusuke shouted. "I know we're going to win. . . We're going to beat him in the end. I just think. . . No, I'm sure I'm close to the world's greatest strategy for kicking ass."

"You're close?" Koenma asked.

"And I'm thinking that Sensui's thinking he knows what I'm thinking, because he usually does. But there's just one thing I don't know—do you have the stones to pull off what it is you're thinking you'd like to do to me?" Yusuke asked, motioning Sensui forward. "Or are you scared your little destiny is nothing but crap?"

"Yeah! That's right Sensui! Destiny breaking is out specialty," Kuwabara said.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up," Hiei said.

"What are you being so negative for?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yusuke doesn't have a plan; there's no way he can win," Hiei said. "Your sense's probably aren't sophisticated enough to know this, but Sensui's power level is currently that of an S class apparition."

"And that's bad right?" Kuwabara asked.

"That's as strong as they tend to get," Kurama said. "And I think Sensui has been suppressing this power all along. He broke Yusuke's arm with minimal effort, like he was snapping a twig."

"Shame on you. I still have faith," Kuwabara said. "Right, Kairi?"

I shook my head. "No. Not. . . Not even a little bit."

"But, Kairi-."

"I know you're counting on me to be hopeful, to say something reassuring like I always do, but. . . I'm scared, Kuwabara. I am properly frightened," I said. ". . . First form Majin Buu. That's how powerful he is. And I know you don't completely understand what that means, but it was the last time in my life that I've ever been this scared. That was the last time I ever felt this much energy coming from anyone. I want to say that we're going to make it out of this and that we're going to win, but I've played this game before Kuwabara. . . And we didn't win. We didn't even come close."


	23. The Pain of Loss

_[Sorry for the lateness! I'm out of back logged chapters and while I have had most of this written for a while I've been a little more diligent about writing fanfiction than I have been about my schoolwork so I needed to buckle down for a bit. I still love you! Don't forget to review. Extra note at the end that's super imprtant!] _

The ground began to tremble again as Shinobu began to flex his powers again. The ground cracked all around the cave and the ceiling was starting to give way as well.

"I'm sorry, was that me? You see, I've had to keep my powers in check for so long now that sometimes I just lose control of it. That's my only downfall. I'm too strong for the human world. Its physics can't hold me. Literally, my strength is my weakness," Shinobu said. "Isn't that ironic, really?"

Yusuke smirked. "You don't make any sense. You say that you want o destroy this world, but then you say you hate doing damage to it like this. I'm confused. So what are you holding back for? If it's such a pain in the ass for you, just let it out."

"You stupid child!" Shinobu shouted. His power exploded outward and knocked Yusuke and Koenma back against the wall. "You're wrong you know. I like things like flowers and trees. The only thing I hate is all human beings."

"Then you and I have something else in common, because we both hate you," Yusuke said.

Shinobu chucked. "Clever. I'm going to grant your wish. If you want to die then so be it." He looked over to the tunnel. "Look at them. They're so anxious. They know they're getting out soon. But then you won't have to live to see that!"

And then we saw that Shinobu had taken possession of the Ma Fu Kan and was using his energy to dangle it in front of his face.

Koenma raised his arm and shot out a huge wave of energy that flew toward the Ma Fu Kan, and engulfed Shinobu.

"It looks like that thing is actually working," Trunks said.

"The Ma Fu Kan can be the most powerful defensive spell in Spirit World depending on how much energy is being used," Kurama said.

"That's why he always had the pacifier? I always thought it was because he had some kind of oral fiction," Kuwabara said.

"_Fixation_," Kurama corrected him. "The more it absorbs the more powerful it becomes. Koenma's Ma Fu Kan emissary has been collecting his energy for years. Not even an S class could break free of the barrier it produces."

"Surrender! Soon the pressure will grow so string that even the most powerful apparitions couldn't escape it," Koenma said. The Ma Fu Kan was giving off lots of energy now, even the demons in the mouth of the tunnel had succumbed to its power and had been destroyed. "You can end it now, Shinobu! Just come with me!"

And that's when it happened. Shinobu grabbed hold of the Ma Fu Kan. The ground shook violently and Shinobu used his own energy to destroy the Ma Fu Kan. The release of energy was so powerful that it shot upward straight through the roof of the tunnel creating a massive hole in its roof.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "That's it boys. . . End game."

"You really thought you had me, but you didn't take into account, the Sacred Energy muscle," Shinobu said. "What a waste of your royal saliva. The mighty prince fails once again. However, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. In a few hundred years there won't be any humans left to protect. We'll wipe ourselves out. I'm just not willing to wait. You must be feeling so much guilt about this. Not only did it fall on your watch, but you set the forces in motion. You know that and it kills you. But it was inevitable you know. If it hadn't been me, my predecessor certainly would've taken care of things."

Yusuke scoffed. "Yeah right. Have you missed me trying to stop your crazy ass all day?"

"Fool," Shinobu said. "I wasn't talking about you."

"Me? Are you on drugs in addition to being crazy?" I asked. "What would even give you the idea that I would-?"

"Because you'd snapped, Detective Son. You'd seen enough and finally all those cracks that had been forming on you since childhood were starting to break open and King Yemma decided your time was up. That's why Mister Urameshi is in the picture now anyway isn't it?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Yusuke asked.

"Isn't it obvious? You were hired as her replacement," Shinobu said.

"Bullshit he was," I said.

"No, Kairi. He. . . He's telling the truth," Koenma said.

"But that doesn't even make any sense. Yusuke and I have been working together for a year," I said.

"My father wanted to be sure this time that whoever came after you was prepared," Koenma said. "When he saw what you did with Yubaba he didn't want to take a chance on you disappearing the way Shinobu had and he thought that he'd chosen you for the wrong reasons."

"And what reason was that? The real reason," I said.

"It's the same reason it always is with Saiyans," Goten chimed in. "It's because you thought she was dangerous."

Koenma nodded. "In a way, we always felt like Freiza had done everyone a favor when he wiped the Saiyans out. When your father and Vegeta popped back up we just assumed that only two of them wouldn't cause much of a problem, but they pushed their strength to unimaginable heights, but they always fought for our side so we couldn't complain, but then there was Gohan."

"Gohan? What does he have to do with anything?" Trunks asked.

". . . Everything," I said. "Gohan was a lot stronger than my dad until Majin Buu popped up. And after all the shit he went through after Raditz showed up he was always so angry and that made him dangerous. But Gohan reigned it all in after my dad died and Goten is just like dad and he never gets angry. But I was always the problem child."

"My father decided that since he couldn't get rid of you because of who your father was he'd just keep an eye on you and sort of push you in the right direction," Koenma said.

I sighed. This was not the kind of revelation I needed to have today. My job was a lie. This thing I'd been so proud of for the last seven years was a lie. I was only here doing their work for them so they could keep an eye on me. Babysit me.

". . . I'm sorry for what was done to you, Kairi. And to you Shinobu. I take full responsibility." He dropped down to his knees.

"I never thought I'd see the proud Koenma humbled at my feet," Shinobu said.

"I'm ready to pay for this. The rest of the world shouldn't have to," Koenma said.

Yusuke stepped forward and placed his hand on Koenma's shoulder.

"You're not ready to die yet. You just stopped teething," he said.

Yusuke walked past Koenma and prepared to go another round with Shinobu.

"You can't win. The world needs you alive. You're their only hope right now and you're no good to them dead. It's my mess to answer for. Not yours," Koenma said.

"Oh, right. I'm kill you. Forgive me. I got distracted," Shinobu said.

"You got so distracted talking crap about my partner you didn't realize that you've walked right into my trap," Yusuke said.

"Aha! See, I knew Urameshi had a plan. I'm big enough to admit when everyone else is wrong," Kuwabara said. "Just try and contradict me now."

"You're wrong, Kuwabara," Kurama said.

"But didn't you hear what he just said?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, I heard every word," Kurama said. "Do you recall what Kairi did in her fight against Toguro? In the tournament? Yusuke now intends to do the same. What she did for him, he's going to do for all of us, except-."

"Urameshi won't be faking," Hiei said.

"But he can't," Kuwabara said.

"But he is," I said quietly.

Below us, Yusuke looked incredibly calm, even as Sensui powered up.

"Urameshi wouldn't just leave it to us. It's not his style to give his life for anybody. He wouldn't do it unless he was saving us for sure," Kuwabara said.

"Perhaps that's just it!" Kurama said. "Think about it, what Kairi did in the tournament wasn't a real gamble. She knew what he'd just been through. . . She knew he wasn't living up to his potential. He possessed the power but he didn't know how to tap into it."

"Then perhaps we should just kill Kairi again," Hiei said.

"Yusuke's all maxed out. We're the untapped ones," Kurama said. "We have the power, but not the strength of mind to reach it."

"Not without the pain of loss," I said.

It still made me sick to my stomach to think about it. To stand here helplessly and watch Yusuke be killed for the second, but was this our only option? I'd seen the pain of loss work during the Dark Tournament. That's when I knew it was the only way. And then of course, if I back pedaled to a time before me, losing Krillin is what had pushed my Dad to become powerful enough to destroy Frieza, and losing my dad is what helped Gohan to overcome Cell.

Was Yusuke dying the push I was going to need to push me to my potential?

Kuwabara ran up to the front of the dark soul.

"You don't have to do this, Urameshi! If you know we have the power we can reach it. Just give us time!" Kuwabara said.

Time is exactly what we didn't have. The world was ending. Any help we could be offered wasn't going to make it in time for us to stop Sensui, only do damage control. There was just Yusuke who could give up everything, and there was us who could do it with a little push from him.

And now the question was, could I have prevented this? I spent so much time holding back just to prove I could and still win that it never occurred to me that I might actually _need_ to reach my potential. That's what had happened with Toguro. I'd only done the bare minimum of training that I needed to do and I couldn't push myself up over that peak that I needed to take him out. If I had worked hard from the beginning, if I had pushed myself to becoming a Super Saiyan before I could've handled Toguro without the show and Yusuke wouldn't have to take one for the team.

"This won't accomplish anything," Koenma said.

"You're half right. I don't think doing this is going to seal up any tunnels and keep demons from having Earth to play with. The whole world's probably screwed, but who cares," Yusuke said. He pointed at Sensui. "But I'll get one thing accomplished—I'll know the loser of this fight."

"You are asking me to take your life, Yusuke?" Sensui asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Yusuke said. "And do it with some style. I don't want some piss poor half assed try. I know you can do it real quick."

I knew before Toguro even squared off against Yusuke in the ring that the gap between their powers was too great for him to overcome by conventional means. I knew the same was true of me when he went to full power. What was the most troubling about it was that Yusuke, no matter how powerful Toguro, Yusuke got always assumed that he could beat him even when I knew he couldn't, even when Toguro and Genkai knew he couldn't.

But I knew. It was in my blood. I wasn't just some abnormally strong human anymore. My human strength had done all it could for me and this planet. I was a Saiyan. _We_ were the dominant force in the universe. Spirit World had turned a blind eye to my race being destroyed because Frieza had done the universe a favor. Because they were scared of our potential. Because we were dangerous.

And I was dangerous. When I got angry, it was always game over. And I had all this potential, all this power, sitting locked up inside of me and I hadn't tapped into it why? Because I thought I was better than that? Because I was arrogant enough to think that everyone would be weaker than me and that I needn't waste my time trying to unlock it? Because I was stupid and lazy.

I knew, and I'd been told so many times not to let my stupid Saiyan pride get in the way, but where had I let it get me? Standing here, watching my best friend walk into the cold arms of death because I was too arrogant and stupid to just do what I knew I was capable of doing.

And I knew I was capable of that now. I knew it. After that injury I'd taken from Toguro I knew that I could hold my own against Sensui. All I had to do was stop holding back for once in my stupid life.

Yusuke didn't need to die. I knew I could do this. I just needed a chance. I needed the opportunity to try.

"Yusuke wait!" I shouted. "You can't do this. You can't! I know you think this is what you have to do, but it's not! You know you can count on me to pull through when you really need me! You just have to give me a chance! We're partners right? So we do things together. I know I've had to sit out the last few rounds, but dammit, Yusuke, I can do this!"

Yusuke ignored my shouting and instead remained determined to get himself killed.

"What are you waiting for, head case?" Yusuke asked.

Sensui made a fist and punched it into his hand.

"Oh, Lover Boy! Release us now and you can keep your ability to breathe," Hiei said tossing his cloak aside. "If we're going to die, let us die in war—against Sensui."

"But how? We've tried everything," Kuwabara said.

"We will join Yusuke in five on one combat against Sensui. We have gone far past the point of fighting for our honor," Kurama said.

"Then I'm ready," Kuwabara said.

"Now we just need you, Itsuki to let us out," I said. "We can do this the easy way, or the way where I start breaking your fingers one by one until you come around to our side."

Itsuki then chuckled. "You'd still fail. Five times zero power is still zero power."

"Why I'll show you-!" Kuwabara started, but Kurama stopped him.

"If you really thought we couldn't help, what was the purpose of trapping us here?" Kurama asked.

"While you were never a threat before defeating Sensui, you could perhaps, with team work, run away," Itsuki said. "Carrying Yusuke on a shoulder as you run away, deflecting Sensui's attacks."

"Maybe you missed the memo, but we're not really in the habit of running away," I said.

"Oh, really? Perhaps you should ask your two more strategic friends," Itsuki said. "Hiei and Kurama, I'm sure you sense that you're not far off from becoming A class demons yourselves. In fact, Spirit Fox, I believe you once were. Maybe you plan to escape with your lives now and brace for the first wave of demon intruders. Then make yourselves, defeat Sensui as a team and proceed to damage control."

"You're clever, Itsuki, but you've guessed wrong," Hiei said.

"Don't try your bluffs on me, Hiei. I know your kind too well. Just stand here and do the only thing you can do, watch Yusuke die," Itsuki said.

"I've come across a lot of assholes in my time, but you, Mister Itsuki Sir, take the fucking prize," Goten said.

"Um. . . Mister Kuwabara, I've been thinking about something," Kiyoshi said.

"Sorry, but if it's not about a way out I don't want to hear it," Kuwabara said.

"It is. Remember our fight when you and your friends were trapped inside my water monster?" Kiyoshi asked. "That territory was dimension you shouldn't have escaped, but you did by realizing your new power. If you got out of that dimensional beast, you can get us out of this one."

"You think?" Kuwabara asked.

"It's at least worth a shot," Goten said.

Kuwabara nodded and did as he was instructed and pulled out his Spirit Sword. Much to our dismay, it was still his regular Spirit Sword.

"No. This isn't how it's supposed to happen! We're the good guys. We're supposed to win. Nobody's supposed to die. I'm supposed to be able to reach my new power. I'm supposed to save you," Kuwabara said.

A feeling of helplessness descended over me.

Kuwabara ran at the face of the demon and began attacking futilely. His sword made no change and below Sensui began to advance slowly on Yusuke.

Tears were swimming in my eyes as Kuwabara swing and swung with all his might, to no avail.

The more Kuwabara swung, the more determined he grew and that's when the change began to happen. For a few brief flashes his sword began to change, growing stronger and sleeker. It was only a brief flicker but they were growing closer and closer together. Kuwabara was close.

"Shinobu, kill him now!" Itsuki cried out, and that's when our Kuwabara had his breakthrough.

He brandished his sleek new sword and with one powerful swing sliced open the face of the Dark Soul and gave us our exit to our friend.

Sensui had powered up and was now advancing on Yusuke quickly. We all ran for the face of the demon and jumped out, falling faster and faster towards the water.

Just before my body splashed against the water I saw it, Sensui's final attack and Yusuke making no move to block.

I was submerged completely in the water and took only a moment to get my bearings before I forced myself upward, breaking through the surface.

With all the oxygen I could spare I forced myself to call out.

"Yusuke!" I shouted. And then I sank back under. An arm grabbed me and pulled me out of the water and I called out to Yusuke again.

I was pulled fully out of the water and felt myself get placed on dry land.

The light sting my eyes as I looked around desperately trying to see what the outcome of my vision had been.

The arm was still holding me and as I began to focus again I looked to see that it was my dad holding onto me.

"Dad. . ." my lips started to form a question as I looked away from him. And then I saw.

Yusuke, lying on the ground, eyes closed, completely motionless, just as I'd seen him once before.

I said his name once, like a whisper before making a move toward him, nut my dad was still holding onto me.

"Kairi, he's—"

"No! Let me go!" I shouted breaking free of his grip. I dashed toward Yusuke and dropped to my knees beside his body.

No spirit energy. No ki. No nothing. My heart was pounding in my ears, I felt like I could throw up. I grabbed hold of his wrist and felt for a pulse, but it was in vain.

Yusuke was dead.

_[So, NaNoWriMo is next month. For those who don't know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it's when writers attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days during the month of November. I've been participating every year since 2008 and this year will be no exception. However, I feel so bad for falling behind on this story that I've decided to be a NaNoWriMo rebel this year! Instead of writing a 50,000 word novel I'm going to write a 50,000 word fanfiction in 30 days, that being the sequel to this story. In order to write 50k in one month I have to average about 1,667 words a day and since I'm working hard to make my updates about 3k words a piece now, that means I should be getting a chapter finished every two days or so. Now, I will still be working on finishing Chapter Black because I'm insane and like multiple projects and school and work at the same time (sleep is for the weak) and obviously updates will still be slow, but at least you'll know that when Chapter Black is over I should be mostly done with the next (unnamed) series and that I'm dedicating the entire month of November to pleasing you. Wish me luck as writing 50k in 30 days is difficult and I've only accomplished it twice so words of encouragement throughout the month are welcomed. In the mean time, so you don't get bored in between updates, I'm going to start updating Eizou Hakusho!]_


	24. The Second Super Saiyan in a Skirt

_[A/N: Thank you so much for your patience this past month! I did succeed in writing 50k words for the new story and will now return my attention to finishing this one. ]_

My classmates were noisy. They splashed around in the pool, laughing back and forth with each other. They tossed a ball back and forth over a small net in the water. Some of them floated around in inner-tubes.

I sat on the edge of the pool, letting my tiny feet dangle in the water. I couldn't swim. I didn't like water getting in my ears and I couldn't grasp the concept of floating anyway. This was as close to getting in the pool as I planned on getting.

That's when Rei swam up to me. She was missing her two front teeth and talked with a lisp because of it. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail which was now tangled and messy from the water. I didn't like Rei very much. She always kicked the back of my chair and poked me during story time.

She was floating in her little inner-tube in front of me, smiling her gapped teeth at me and I knew she was up to no good.

"Why is the little baby not swimming in the water?" she teased me.

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you," I said. Rei grabbed at my feet and kicked her away. "I said stop, Rei! I'm gonna tell."

"I'm gonna say you kicked me. I didn't even do anything. I was just swimming," she said.

"You're a liar," I said.

"And you're stupid and mean. That's why you don't have any friends," she said grabbing my legs.

"Let go of me!" I shouted at her.

Rei yanked me hard and I was suddenly sliding off the edge into the water. I sank down deeper and deeper. Water filled my ears and stung my eyes as I held my breath. I didn't know what to do. I was disorientated and confused.

Suddenly an arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me up to the surface. They pushed me over the side of the pool onto the cold concrete ground.

I started coughing, trying to take too much air in all at once. They patted me on the back.

"Hey, you okay?" they asked me.

I looked up at my rescuer. "Urameshi?"

"Yep," he said with a smile. "What a stupid face Rei is for pulling you in like that. Are you okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine now. Thank you."

"No problem!" Yusuke said. "You wanna come sit with us? Keiko's just got an ear infection so she's not allowed to play in the water. And if Rei tries to bother you again I'll make sure she's sorry."

Yusuke held a hand out to me. I gladly took it and got up to my feet.

"Okay! Sounds fun," I said.

888

That was the first time I'd ever talked to Yusuke. The first time he'd ever acted as my friend. The first time he'd ever been there for me when I needed someone.

Yusuke was my best friend. He saw through my little tough girl exterior and saw that I needed a friend. That I needed _anyone_ to take my side. Soon he learned that I could fight my own battles and that I didn't need to be defended, but he still stuck by me. Whether we were starting food fights in the cafeteria in first grade, giving Uryu wedgies in third grade, or beating up middle school kids in fifth grade, we stuck by each other.

And now, Yusuke had been by my side while we walked into the darkest dangers that we'd ever face. He never turned away once. He never got scared. He never backed down. He was going to do whatever it took to come out on top. When he thought I was dead he fought to avenge me. When he learned why I'd chosen this path as Spirit Detective he comforted me. When he learned the truth about he was even made my partner, he shrugged it off.

And how he was dead. For the second time, I had to watch him die and it wasn't fair because it felt like this was the second time I hadn't been there for him. Yusuke never needed a hero. He never needed anyone to do anything for him ever and the only time he ever needed me, I couldn't be there for him, and now we were here.

Water dripped down my face as I knelt down next to him.

"And now he's dead," Sensui said. The mere sound of his voice made my teeth hurt. "But don't be sad. You'll be with him soon."

I rose to my feet and pushed my wet hair from my face. Sensui's movie began to roll its credits. The time had finally come. I glanced over my shoulder at my dad, and Vegeta was with him. Just in front of them stood Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama. Their initial shock had given way to anger and it showed on the faces. Goten and Trunks stood, ready to help if need be, and Kiyoshi had gone to Koenma's side, away from the danger.

"It seems my film is over, and just in time too. I think this song is s perfect requiem for your partner's death," Sensui said, as I returned my attention back to him.

I took a deep breath. Yusuke had died for a reason, to push me to my potential. I was so angry I could hardly see straight and Sensui was laughing.

Now was the time to make him proud.

I ran at Sensui and then right in the middle of his laugh, I kicked him right in the face, throwing into the side of the cave wall.

Damn, it felt good to use my energy, and I could feel it growing stronger by the second.

Sensui fell to the ground, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

"I'm sorry. Did I break your concentration?" I asked. Sensui got to his feet, glaring at me. "Oh, were you finished?" His glare persisted. He didn't speak, he just leered at me as if plotting which way would be best to kill me. "Well, then allow me to retort."

"You—"

I shushed. "No, no, Sensui. It's my turn to talk now. You see, this is the second time I've had to watch Yusuke die in as many years, and I'm not mad I'm just absolutely livid. Which I'm sure you realize is completely understandable and probably expected given my history of anger issues. I mean, you're not the only one to get angry and kill a bunch of humans on the fly after all. But I digress, because we're running short. So here's what's going to happen. That tunnel is going to open any minute now and when it does we're going to kill anything that comes through it. Then, Sensui, I'm going to give you two choices. Your first option is that you can apologize, admit that this whole crazy scheme of yours was ludicrous and I let you go to live in a hole somewhere and you promise never to hurt another living until you die."

"What?" my friends exclaimed behind me.

"Quiet, boys," I said. "Your second option is that you keep on with your crazy crusade to kill everyone and I kill you for the greater good."

Sensui smirked. "Tell me, Kairi, why would you spare my life?"

I scoffed. "Because, I'm better than you obviously. I mean, sure, we're both a little crazy. I could just kill you and I wouldn't even feel bad about it, and to be perfectly honest, nothing would make me happier right now. But you know what the difference between you and me is? I know people make bad decisions. You were good once, Sensui. Maybe you could be good again. So tell me, option one or option two?"

Sensui laughed again. "I'm not giving up my quest to destroy all humans, but I highly doubt that you will be able to defeat me."

"Oh, really?" I asked.

"You lack the power to defeat me, Kairi, just as Yusuke did," Sensui said. I smiled at him. "What?"

"Challenge accepted," I said.

After weeks of holding back, I was finally ready to just let it all go. All of my anger and desire to beat Sensui into a bloody pulp built up inside of me, intertwining itself with my energy, building higher and higher and higher until I was sure that I might explode from holding it all in.

And then suddenly I was at peace.

The excess of energy I'd been holding in no longer felt burdensome, but instead coursed smoothly through my body.

I felt new. I felt different. I felt strong.

I felt good.

"Oh, and what's this new power, Kairi?" Sensui asked.

"Sensui, you're about to have the honor to tango with a Super Saiyan," I said. "And I'm probably the first one to be wearing a skirt."

"If you mean first one to be a Super Saiyan while wearing a skirt, then yes, otherwise no," Dad said.

I paused to turn and look back at him, as did everyone else. He shrugged.

"We can discuss why you were wearing a skirt later. In the meantime," I said, turning back to Sensui. His TV had turned to static. The movie was officially over. "Looks like Armageddon starts now."

And with that the demons broke through. Behind me, I could feel the energy of my three teammates growing.

"The first gate has opened," Sensui said. "Shall we see what lies beyond it?"

"I don't care where it goes," Kuwabara said as I charged up to fire off a Kamehameha wave. It wasn't the only energy building up either. Hiei was obviously ready to unleash his dragon.

Sensui leapt over our heads and started back toward the tunnel. Hiei and I both unleashed our attacks at the same time. They wiped out the oncoming demons as they passed through the tunnel, but Sensui remained as nonchalant as ever.

"Looks like we're going to Demon World," Hiei said.

We followed our attacks through the opening and into the darkness, Kurama and Kuwabara in tow.

"Where the heck are we?" Kuwabara asked.

"We're the Pseudo Space, an alternate dimension bridging the Living World and Demon World," Kurama said. I hadn't noticed until now that Kurama had reverted back into his form as Yoko. No doubt a side effect of reaching the strength of an A class demon, much in the same way that I was now blonde thanks to my Super Saiyan transformation.

"There's the barrier net up ahead," Hiei said.

A large yellow net stretching outward into an infinite expanse. On the other side of it, stood Sensui.

We stopped when we reached the net.

"Hey, how'd you get on the other side?" Kuwabara asked.

"Haven't you been paying attention? This net will only stop demons from crossing through," Sensui said. "Hiei's dragon practically evaporated when it hit the net. You should be proud though. Anything less than A class energy would've kept coming."

"And you managed to deflect my attack. How charming," I said.

Sensui laughed. "I wish I could take the credit, Kairi, but your exceptional Kamehameha Wave also expired upon hitting the net."

"But doesn't make any sense. I'm not a demon," I said.

I stepped forward and cautiously pressed my hand against the net. The net reacted immediately against my hand and stepped back from it as it singed my hand.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked. I turned back. "Kuwabara, touch the net."

"I don't want it to shock me!" he complained.

"I know the net's supposed to work on Hiei and Kurama, but I'm not a demon. I should be able to go through that net and so should my attack. If you can't get through it either then it means Koenma was wrong about humans," I said.

"But Kairi, I'm already on the other side," Sensui said.

"And he's human," Kurama said. "Which could mean one of two things."

"Either and I'm a demon and nobody told me about it," I said.

"Or this net was built to keep the Saiyans out as well," Sensui said. "Now why would King Yemma do that?"

"That doesn't matter right now. I'm gonna find a way to the other side of that net and when I do the only thing that's going to keep me from killing you is Yusuke coming back from the dead and putting me through a wall so he can do it himself," I said. "I'm going to bury you, Shinobu Sensui."

"What?" he asked.

"Bury. Verb. B-u-r-y. Like in the motherfucking ground," I said.

"You talk big for someone who can't even get over here," Shinobu said. "How about this—I give you one day to think up your next move. I'll wait right here."

"Fuck that," Kuwabara said. And then he took his jigentou and sliced right through the net.

"Good answer, Kuwabara," I said.

Sensui retreated into the sanctuary of Demon World.

And we followed.

Out of the darkness of the pseudo space we were blinded by light as we entered Demon World from above. There was forest stretching as far as the eye could see and not far off in the distance were tall, flat rock formations.

"Holy crap! We came in a mile above the ground!" Kuwabara shouted. "We're falling!"

"Where are we?" I asked.

"I believe this is the Forest of Fools. Lucky for us the demons in this area are still peaceful," Hiei said.

Then from Kurama's back began to sprout an enormous plant that stretched out over his back cladding him in wings.

"Whoa! You can fly now?" Kuwabara asked as Kurama took hold of him and Hiei.

"This is merely a plant whose leaves I am using to keep us in the air," Kurama explained.

"Ha! Serves you right, Sensui. Now you're gonna splat on the ground like a tomato!" Kuwabara proclaimed.

Below us Sensui was still in his free-fall and falling ever faster. But then he stopped suddenly, his aura began to glow golden with his Sacred Energy and he came to a halt.

"Dammit, bitch can fly," I said. "Don't know why I'm surprised. It's like the easiest thing to do with your Ki besides using a Ki blast."

"Son of a bitch can do anything," Kuwabara said.

"No point in turning back mow that we've come this far," Kurama said.

"Time to finish this," Hiei said.

"I'd hate to destroy the forest here. It's so lovely. How about we take this over there where we won't hurt it," Sensui suggested.

Sensui motioned over to a large flat surface rock formation.

"Fine, you damn hippie," I said.

"That's the Hill of the Beheaded," Hiei said.

"Who names these places? Seriously," I said.

"I didn't pick the name," Hiei said.

"Doesn't make it not stupid," I said.

We landed on the Hill of the Beheaded.

"I'll have you know that I find it shameful for you to enter a battle that you know you have no chance of winning, but since you're fighting for the spirit of your fallen friend, I will take this fight seriously," Sensui said.

"You know, I used to think I was up my own ass about how awesome I was, but you're so far up your own ass all the shit just falls out your mouth every time you speak," I said.

Sensui glared at me once more and powered up. There was a flash of light and suddenly Sensui's appearance was very different. He was clad in golden armor from head to toe.

"This is my Sacred Armor," Sensui said.

I shook my head. "I know you said you were going to take this seriously, but I can't take you seriously with that hat on."

"Do you think this is a joke, Kairi?" Sensui asked.

"Yes," I said.

"You're even more arrogant than your partner," Sensui said.

"Thank you," I said, powering up. "Now let's see how much of this arrogance I can back up."


	25. Demons Know Science Too, Apparently

_[A/N: Got the urge to include this scene so I wrote it, dammit. Enjoy] _

Goten POV

Behind me was a giant gaping hole that lead to a dimension filled with demons. In front of me was the body of my sister's dead best friend. Kairi was now in Demon World and Koenma, Prince of the Spirit World was staring down at Yusuke's body. Trunks, Vegeta, Kiyoshi and my dad were all silent next to me.

"Now what?" Trunks asked.

"Now we wait for that girlfriend of yours to get back and hopefully she'll have dealt with that nut job," Vegeta said.

"She's not my girlfriend," Trunks said with a frown.

"Oh, yes. I recall you crying to your mother about something like that yesterday," Vegeta said.

"I wasn't crying," Trunks said.

"Crying. Whining. Really, what's the difference?" Vegeta said. "Just grow up and move on. No sense in wasting your time on some woman who's hardly worth the trouble."

"I don't know. I definitely think Kairi's worth the trouble probably," Dad said thoughtfully. "Maybe there's something wrong with Trunks."

"There's nothing wrong with my son!" Vegeta said. "Your daughter is clearly the issue here!"

"I don't know. I don't think I heard her complaining about it," Dad said.

"Maybe your daughter needs to get some priorities," Vegeta said.

"Now is not the time to be talking about food, Vegeta," Dad said.

"But priorities isn't-," Kiyoshi started.

"Nope. Let it go," I said looking over to Koenma. He was kneeling down next to Yusuke. He'd gone from looking distressed to looking confused. "Is something wrong with, Koenma?"

"It's Yusuke's soul," Koenma said. "It hasn't popped out of his body yet even though his heart has definitely stopped beating?"

"So you mean he's not really not dead?" Kiyoshi asked.

"No, that's why it's weird, because he's definitely dead," Koenma said.

We didn't have time to address the situation further become we sensed some enter the cave with is. We looked over to the mouth of the cave and nine people had entered, all wearing identical uniforms.

"The Spirit World SDF!" Koenma exclaimed.

"SDF?" Kiyoshi asked.

"They're the most elite soldiers in the Spirit World army," Koenma explained as the leader of the SDF started shouting out orders to his men. A group of three immediately went to work sealing up the tunnel and three others went through the tunnel to prevent any apparitions from passing through.

Their leader walked over to Koenma. "Are you injured, Lord Koenma?"

"No, I'm fine," Koenma answered.

"Please return to Spirit World immediately," the leader went on.

"No. I have to go to Demon World," he replied.

"Clearly this loss of your Spirit Energy has impaired your ability to think clearly. Kind Yemma has ordered your immediate return," the leader went on.

"No this is all my fault. It's my responsibility to see that this is all resolved," Koenma said.

"Then I'm afraid you're going to have to witness something very difficult."

Behind him, two other members of the SDF charged up their Spirit Energy and aimed it at Yusuke's dead body.

"You kids had better move out the way," one of them said.

"Actually, I think I'd better not," I said crossing my arms and standing firmly next to Yusuke. "How about you tell me what you're doing first?"

"Terminating Yusuke Urameshi," the leader spoke again.

"What? Are you insane?" Koenma practically shouted.

"We understand your confusion," one of the other members said. "We would never have even considered it until King Yemma ordered us to investigate him."

"Yusuke Urameshi is descended from a demon," the leader spoke again.

"That's insane! Yusuke's parents are both human," Koenma said.

"Yes, as were his grandparents, and their grandparents, but if you look back many generations," the leader began.

"You don't mean. . . Demonic Atavism!" Koenma said.

"That's a thing?" Trunks asked.

"What?" I asked.

"Atavism is when there's a recessive gene that's suddenly expressed in descendant, like when gene's skip a generation," Trunks said.

"Ooh, somebody's taken a biology class," I said rolling my eyes.

"The ability to create a human/demon hybrid is held only by A-class level demons or higher. Yusuke's gene is from 44 generations ago," the leader explained. "Demonic Atavism is especially ingenious because demons could actively manipulate their DNA to remain dormant for a certain number of generations, mainly for their amusement, to satisfy their curiosity about the Human World and to destroy it from within, and in the rarest of cases because the human and demon were in love and wanted to have a child.

"Yusuke's ancestor was particularly intelligent. When Yusuke died the first time he lacked the Spiritual strength that would've required the gene to activate which is why we didn't notice until now. But by reviving him as Spirit Detective we gave the gene exactly what it needed to activate. It might've actually made more sense for Yusuke to open the tunnel to Demon World instead of Sensui."

"I'm sorry, I'm still having trouble understanding where the problem lies here. So what if he's half-demon? He's not evil and he never has been. From what I've observed he takes this job just as seriously as his partner did," Vegeta commented. "He even went so far as to save this planet as to sacrifice his own life."

"He's nothing like that Sensui guy," Goten said.

"Therein lies the problem. Urameshi is descended from the Mazoku and he could become an even greater threat than Sensui," the leader said.

"So you mean to abandon Kairi, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama to Demon World and destroy Yusuke after we revived him?" Koenma asked.

"It is the will of Spirit World," the leader.

"Hmm. I don't think I really like that idea," Dad said casually. "I mean. Yusuke's a good kid. He's Kairi's best friend after all, and she's a good kid too."

"Oh, they've got their own problems with Kairi," Trunks said.

"Yeah, did you guys come here to get rid of her too, because when she gets back and finds out what you've done you'll probably have to," I said.

"What are you talking about?" Dad asked.

"They hired Yusuke to replace Kairi as Spirit Detective because they thought she was getting dangerous and that she was going to go AWOL like Sensui," Goten said. "And if anything's going to make her dangerous it's getting rid of Yusuke."

"I'm afraid that if the Detective does return from Demon World she would be privy to the same fate as her partner" one of the SDF said.

"You really think I'd just stand here and let you kill my daughter?" Dad asked.

"I'm sorry, but those are our orders, for the preservation of the Human World," the leader said. "The Spirit Detectives must be eliminated."

There was no further discussion on the topic because Yusuke's energy level skyrocketed at that moment.

"Captain!"

"Fire now!"

They all took aim at Yusuke and began to fire, but from the hole above in the roof a giant, blue bird descended and covered Yusuke, protecting him from their blast.

"A Spirit Beast!"

"Keep firing!"

They kept firing, but to no avail.

"Hold you fire!" the captain ordered.

"That's enough, Puu. I'm fine now."

That voice. It was unmistakably Yusuke's.

The now enormous Puu removed his wings from around Yusuke and stood back. Yusuke was indeed alive and well again.

"His Spirit Energy! Captain we can't handle-."

"Silence, fool!" Yusuke shouted, looking over to the SDF member, sending him flying back against the stone walls of the cave. "I heard everything you all said. Apparently I'm the descendant of some powerful. That makes sense because I feel. . . Wonderful."

Trunks and I exchanged glances. There was definitely a sinister edge to Yusuke's voice, kind of like the way he'd talk to kids at school before he beat the crap out of them, but still. Something was off.

"Insolent fools. Do you know who we are? We are the descendants of the Mazoku and now that we are made flesh again we shall reveal our true form," Yusuke proclaimed.

Insolent fools? Made flesh again? I was pretty sure that even demon didn't talk like that. Still, the SDF was terrified.

"SIKE!" Yusuke said with a laugh. I chuckled.

"Classic, Yusuke," I said. "You mind taking this seriously?"

"I don't know. I could go to Demon World and help, but Kairi's a Super Saiyan now so I could also just sit here and things would probably still turn out okay," Yusuke said. "And imagine how excited they all would be coming back and seeing little old me standing here."

"Did you miss the part where they're going to try to kill Kairi too?" Goten asked.

Yusuke laughed. "Oh, I heard, I just think that idea is hilarious. I got wind of Kairi's power level while I was out and let me tell you, that would not be a fight—it would be stupid. I'm sure you all agree, always going on about your Saiyan pride and whatnot."

Vegeta nodded in agreement.

"As much as I would love to stay here and then watch that happen, I actually do think I'd like to go another round with Sensui if Kairi and the others haven't beaten him into pudding yet," Yusuke said.

"HALT!" the captain shouted.

"Dude, shut up. I will _eat_ you," Yusuke threatened.

"What are you?" the Captain asked.

"I'm Yusuke Urameshi, dammit. That'll never change no matter how many times they bring me back," he said. "Who cares if I'm half demon. I'm going to Demon World to kick Sensui's ass and that's that."

"I'm coming too," Koenma said.

"But, Koenma-."

Yusuke then kicked the captain right in his face.

"Tell my dad he can feel free to fire me or disown me or whatever," Koenma said as he climbed onto Puu's back with Yusuke.

"Don't worry guys, we'll handle these idiots," I said.

Kairi POV

Sensui was tough. I would give him credit for that. His armor may've looked stupid, but it got the job done. And maybe I was a hell of a lot stronger and could take out Sensui without the aid of my three companions, but all those years of half-assing it were starting to show. I was new to this whole Super Saiyan thing and getting used to having that much energy was not easy. I was much faster now as well, as a result in the jump in my power, but that too was handicapping me because I still lacked control.

That put all of us at a disadvantage. Sensui was giving it his all keep us in our place, so I was sure with more control we could overtake him, but for the moment, we were working hard to keep him working hard. We were tired, losing our drive, and things weren't looking up. Even worse was that they were all on their last legs and taking the brunt of the beating.

"I'm reminded of an RPG I used to play as a child. I'd raise my characters levels up as high as they could go before taking on the final boss. The boss usually had somewhere 10,000 hit points. I never took any damage but the boss's defense was so high that he only ever lost 100 points around. And when I finally beat him I always felt a little strange—happy, but empty," Sensui said. I rolled my eyes. "I'm getting that same feeling right now. I'm sorry I've made you suffer."

"Why don't you just hurry up and kill us already," Hiei said.

"Yes. You're more powerful than us. It's that simple and in Demon World all that matters is power," Kurama said.

"Don't worry it'll be over soon," Sensui said.

"Nay," I said getting to my feet, forcing myself to steady my breathing. "I made a promise when this fight started that the only way I wasn't going to kill you was if Yusuke came back and did it himself, and even then he would have to physically put me through a fucking wall to stop me. As Yusuke is not here and I have not been through a wall, I'd say you are mistaken."

"Still so foolish, Detective," he said.

"Maybe, but dammit Shinobu, I'm a Super Saiyan. I've got the power to defeat. I just can't quite control it which is the only reason you've had the upper hand," I said.

"It's time to face the facts just as your friends have—you cannot win," Sensui said.

"Oh, but I can. I most certainly can and you know why—because I'm a Super Saiyan and you are not," I said.

"You put too much faith in this one fact and I've yet to see you prove that your new found abilities can stop me," he said.

"I was just getting warmed up," I said, stretching, "getting a feel for my new power. It's like driving a new car—you gotta get used to it."

"You don't even drive," Kuwabara said.

"Fuck you, Kuwabara for ruining my metaphor," I said.

"That was a simile," Kurama said.

"Okay, Grammar Police," I said. "Anymore comments from the peanut gallery?"

"You're a moron," Hiei said.

"Fuck all three of you guys," I said. "I bet my dad never had to put up with this nonsense when he became a Super Saiyan and was fighting Frieza—and that Sensui is another reason I'm going to win. Because if my dad could defeat Frieza on Namek while the planet was blowing up then I sure as hell can kick your ass too, even with the peanut gallery constantly hurling insults at me."

Sensui chuckled. "You're not going to win because you can't focus, Detective Kairi. I bet if I dropped a nice shiny penny on the ground it was hold your attention."

"If you're so sure about that then why don't you prove it?" I asked.

"Gladly," Sensui said with a smirk.

Sensui charged me as he had done before. I only had a fraction of a second to think about what my next move would be. Even if I was still at a disadvantage because of my lack of control, there were a few things that I was still able to do, no matter how strong I was and that was because of my training.

Sensui himself admitted that the advantages I always had in fights were predicting what my opponent would do next. So that's what I had to do. He knew I was slow and that I didn't have control so he was going to try to trip me up or fake me in a way I couldn't recover from quickly.

Just as Sensui reached me, he side stepped me and instead of going in for a punch, he swung his leg up to kick me. I flipped backwards, his armored knee, grazing my back as he did. I landed on my feet behind him and as he went in to face me again, I leapt up ever so slightly and elbowed him right in the back of neck sending him to the ground. He recovered quickly. This time I wasn't going to let him come at me. If I wanted to keep the upper hand I had to be the one to keep him on the defensive.

I charged him, ready to take him straight on. Sensui blocked my fist and went in for one his customary kicks which I easily dodged, now that I expected it. This dance continued for a few long moments until realized something—I was actually keeping up, matching Sensui blow for blow. But this had brought us to a stalemate. One of us had to do something crazy and unpredictable to throw the other and regain control of the fight.

And in that moment I thought to myself: What would Yusuke Urameshi do?

I blocked one of Sensui's kicks and that's where I was my opening. Sensui's fist moved to block my punch that would never come and I lurched forward with all my might and head butted Sensui right in his face, effectively breaking the stalemate as he flew backwards. I quickly powered up for a Spirit Gun and launched it, and for the first time this round, I made direct contact with Sensui and he wasn't going to be happy about it.

"Nice recovery," Hiei scoffed.

"One day, you're going to give me a genuine compliment, Hiei. I eagerly await that day," I said.

"You're gonna be waiting a long time," he said.

I rolled my eyes and moved to go after Sensui, but I paused. I could sense energy, a lot of energy coming from the opening to the Living World.

We all looked over to see what was coming. Off in the distance, flying toward us was a large, blue bird, carrying two people on its back.

I watched as they got closer and closer.

I recognized Koenma right off the bat, but the other person. . . No, that wasn't possible.

"I don't believe it," I said.

Even Sensui had returned to our battle ground and was watching curiously as they landed.

Yusuke jumped down to the ground.

"Sorry I'm late," Yusuke said.

"Revival. . . No. This is Demonic Atavism," Sensui said.

"That makes much more sense than what I was thinking. As awesome as my family is I don't think they could find the dragon balls in such a short period of time," I said. "But look at you, being all demon and reviving yourself."

"What'd you think I was just gonna sit on my ass and let you get all the credit for beating Sensui? Please," Yusuke said. "Nice hair, by the way."

"Well, you know that they say, blondes have more fun," I said.

"But Urameshi you were dead! Your heart stopped beating and everything!" Kuwabara explained.

"You're right it did, actually," he said knocking on his chest, "I still don't think my ticker's working quite right."

There was a chuckle and then full blown laughter.

I looked over and saw that Kurama and Hiei were both partaking in a laugh.

"Hiei's laughing," I said.

"Hell must have frozen over," Kuwabara said.

"Don't worry," Kurama said. "Your core has started working in its place."

"Core?" I asked.

"A core is basically a demon's heart," Kurama said. "Despite what you've read in your smut on the internet."

"Stay off my computer," I said.

"Oooh, Kairi reads porn," Yusuke teased.

"Shut up," I said rolling my eyes. "You should see some of the stuff your girlfriend reads. You'd be horrified."

"Butt sex?" Yusuke asked.

"Butt sex," I confirmed.

"Dammit. I knew she was weird," Yusuke said.

"And now it turns out her boyfriend's a demon so that makes her even weirder," I said.

"I can't believe you're a demon. Though I shouldn't be surprised. I knew someone as powerful as you couldn't be human," Hiei said.

"Well, fuck you too, Hiei," I said, rolling my eyes.

"It's weird though. I don't feel any different. And I don't look any different," Yusuke said. "Let's see just how different I am."

"Now hold on there partner. I was having a grand old letting my second wind out all over Sensui's face before you showed back up I don't think I'm quite ready to give him up yet," I said. "Now I'm sure you're eager to try out your new demon powers, but I'm not done flexing my Super Saiyan muscles yet."

"No way! I can totally kick his ass now," Kuwabara said.

"You're delusional," Hiei said.

"Screw you, man!" Kuwabara said.

"Sorry guys, but I wanna take him on myself," Yusuke said.

"Well too fuckin' bad, Yusuke," I said.

"Hey, don't go getting all pissy with me," he said.

"And why not. I had to watch you die a second time and I couldn't do anything about it and I was getting fired and for whatever reason that kekai barrier was supposed to keep me and the rest of the Saiyans out of Demon World and my whole life is a lie and I am angry—nay, I am infuriated," I said. "And then there's _this_ asshole. Motherfucking Sensui who should've been an inspiration to me as a Spirit Detective is actually Cunt Master General and I am just like him. Like, not just like him obviously, but enough like him to know that I am on a slippery slope to being crazy and homicidal and I won't be able to sleep tonight until I have sufficiently pounded his ass into the ground."

Yusuke let out a sigh. "You are crazy, just for the record. But in a good way. Now go and pretend I'm dead and open up a can of Saiyan whoop ass all over him."


	26. Case Closed

_[A/N: I put my fingers to the test and cranked out this chapter for you really fast as a present to you for Christmas (or just for you to have a happy Tuesday if you don't celebrate). Hopefully I' can get these last two (or three) chapters up before 2012 ends so that 2013 I can start posting the sequel (which still doesn't have a name!). Anyway, Happy December!]_

Focus. Concentrate. Relax.

Blinded by rage or not, I needed to get it together in order to defeat Sensui. I knew I could, and my teammates clearly knew I could too or they would've put up a bigger fuss about me taking him on by myself.

I may've had more energy than I knew what to do with at the moment, but that was that natural order of things: I was a Super Saiyan. I was from the strongest race of fighters in the universe. I was supposed to give out ass whooping's the way Oprah gives away free shit under chairs. I just had to practice. And as I looked toward Sensui, I knew he was my all too willing to play target practice with me.

I took a few steps toward Sensui again and then leapt at him. I went at him with my fist, this time each punch had much more force behind it, I was still keeping up with him, and like before we were able to read each other too well for this to go anywhere.

The he broke the pattern this time and managed to knee me in the stomach and send me flying backward. I landed on my feet and slowed myself. So Sensui's area of expertise was his fancy footwork.

Mine was long range attacks.

As I slowed to a stop I began to charge my energy at my side and as soon as my feet were finally planted firmly on the ground I launched an end all Kamehameha wave at him.

It was perfect. It was beautiful. I could see the shock in Sensui's eyes as it moved closer and closer, his defeat imminent.

And then gingerly grazed his arm, singeing bits of it off as it flew casually past his head. Not because Sensui had moved or anything, but because I, in my infinite supply of new super power had missed.

"So now my aim's off too? Great. Long range attacks was the only I had over my teammates and now I have to compensate for that too," I said. "That is just dandy."

Still, I had a good amount of energy left, enough for one more try at the Kamehameha Wave. I just had to make sure I didn't miss next time.

Sensui seemed to realize that if I hit him he was toast and started to power up, his armor disappearing as he did.

"Yusuke, take Puu and get everyone out of here. I think shit's about to get real," I said.

Yusuke and the others did so without question.

As I predicted, things got quite serious just as they were getting out of the way. Sensui's outfit had changed again. Now his armor was black and slimming, save for the ridiculous blue neck piece that he was sporting. I didn't even have time to tease him for his comical appearance as he had apparently decided he was not going to let me get the upper hand in this fight again.

His fist, his feet, the crumbling ground of the platform beneath us, everything was his weapon. His plan was to clearly keep me on the defensive so that I wouldn't get the chance to come at him again.

It was good plan, and working just the way he wanted it to. Soon there was little left of the platform though.

Sensui retreated to one side of it, standing a few feet away from me.

"Feeling crowded?" I asked.

"A bit," he smirked.

"That whole mountain over there is nothing but rock and sand," Yusuke shouted down, pointing off in the distance.

"You sound like you've been there before," Sensui said.

"Maybe I have, or my ancestor has," Yusuke replied.

"Sounds good to me. I don't want anything else getting in my way," I said.

I flew off toward it, and Sensui followed. As soon as we crossed over to the sandy plane, I turned round and went in straight for Sensui with my fist. He followed suit and as out fists connected the impact rumbled like thunder in my ears.

I went in again, with my free hand as he did he, and the thunder sounded again. He grabbed onto my fist and I could feel his energy rising more and more and more. I decided that two could play that game and followed suit, pushing my power level up higher and higher. I could feel wind rushing around us as our energy began to affect the elements around us.

Sensui raised his leg and kicked, knocking me much farther than his last kick had, but I was prepared for this. This was my opening.

I charged up for my attack and this time I wouldn't miss.

But then the red flags in my head started to go up. I could feel Yusuke's power level sky rocket, creating a large wind that added to the already enormous amount of sand that was blowing in my face. Just as I was preparing to watch Sensui go down in a blaze of Kamehameha glory, it happened.

"STEP ASIDE LITTLE GIRL!"

Yusuke had come out of nowhere so fast that I didn't see him and punched me right in the gut. I watched in horror as my attack flew off in the completely wrong direction while I flew off into the side of a mountain which immediately startled to crumble down on top of me.

And that was that. My last perfect attack gone. No way I had enough energy to take Sensui on now, and as I laid there beneath a pile of rubble I knew that I was also no longer a Super Saiyan, but back to my old self.

I was going to strangle Yusuke Urameshi—literally wrap my fingers around his throat and squeeze until he turned blue and passed away.

I unburied myself and climbed out from beneath the felled mountain, clutching my side where Yusuke had so graciously hit, that was going to be a bruise later.

But then I looked up at the battle in front of me. Yusuke looked completely out of this world. Weird tribal tattoos covered his torso, there was a crazed look in his eye, and his hair—suddenly his hair had gone long and blonde.

I thought I might hallucinating at first, like putting me through a mountain had done a number on me, but I watched as Yusuke pummeled Sensui, first with a punch to the face, sending him flying. Before Sensui could hit the ground Yusuke there to kick him upward toward the sky, and then come back again to drop on an elbow to his chest from above. As Sensui descended Yusuke grabbed hold of his throat.

Then he gingerly tossed Sensui up into the air and fired an end all Spirit Gun at him, and stood there looking rather impressed with himself. Sensui was done for.

Yusuke's hair reverted back to its normal, dark brown, though it still came down to his feet. His tattoos disappeared and suddenly he looked very panicked.

"SENSUI! GET YOUR STUPID ASS OUTTA THE WAY!"

But it was moot. The blast hit Sensui. It was over. Sensui had met his end with Yusuke's Spirit Gun which had sent him sailing back through the forest where we had entered.

Yusuke took off after him and I followed as quickly as I could.

I arrived to find Yusuke yelling at Sensui.

"Get up and fight me again, dammit! It didn't count!" Yusuke shouted.

"The hell it didn't," I said. "What's going on?"

"It wasn't me! I mean it was me, but I didn't come to until after I fired that shot!" Yusuke shouted.

Puu landed with the others just behind us as Sensui let out a slight cough, clearly on his death bed.

"Kurama don't you have any plants or medicines that I can help him?" Yusuke asked.

"I used everything I had in my fight against him. The best I can do now is give him something to dull the pain," Kurama said.

"That won't necessary."

Beside me the forest peeled to the side like a curtain and out of a void of blackness stepped Itsuki.

"You stay out of this!" Yusuke shouted.

"Let him die as he is. He only has about half a month left to live anyway," Itsuki said.

"What?" I asked.

"His inside have been mostly destroyed by a terrible disease. Doctor Kamiya said that he only had about half a month left to live," Itsuki said.

"I won't make excuses for my loss. I was defeated because you were able to surpass me," Sensui said.

"It wasn't my power! I wasn't conscious when I fired that shot!" Yusuke said.

"Then you must've mastered your power on a subconscious level," Sensui said. "Whatever the case it was you who released it."

"That's not good enough. Half a month is plenty of time. Get some pain killers, rest up, and fight me again. Or at least fight Kairi so she doesn't kick my ass later," Yusuke said. "There's nothing you can do Koenma? No healing techniques you can use or anything?"

"I could've healed him with the Spirit Energy in my Ma Fu Kan, but Sensui sent every last bit of it flying out," Koenma said. "And I also used up the rest of my energy performing a wandering ghost retrogression technique."

"Wandering ghost. . . You brought someone back from the dead?" I asked. Koenma nodded.

". . . Amanuma!" Kurama explained.

"Yes," Koenma replied.

"All according to plan. Your Ma Fu Kan was the obstacle I had to overcome. I had to make sure you wasted as much Spirit Energy as possible before you used it on me," Sensui said.

"Why were you so obsessed with opening the tunnel to Demon World?" Koenma asked.

"So I could come here. That's all," Sensui said. "As a child I was filled with questions about the creatures only I could see. Why did they hate me? Why did they try to kill me? And while searching for answers I became adept at fighting. I became a soldier of justice and made it my cause to protect people from the evil in the world. I always knew that there was only good and evil in the world. Even in wars I believed that there were only good countries and bad countries. But I was wrong. I came to know that everything I was fighting for, even the people I was protecting were worthless scum. I started wishing I'd been born a demon and once I thought that I knew I had to come here and once I thought I was almost out of time I lost it. But I made it. The tunnel was merely a gift to those on this side. My true goal was to come here and die."

I hated Sensui. Every fiber of my being had come to hate him in the past two days, but standing here listening to him, I started to feel bad for his crazy ass. I felt like maybe, I was starting to understand him a little bit.

"Detectives," Sensui spoke again, "you always seem to have fun while you're fighting and I think for the first time in my life I had fun fighting too. . . Thank you. . . I hope I'm reborn into a demon family."

Sensui closed his eyes, his went limp and that was the end.

There was a long pause before anyone moved or spoke.

Koenma took a step forward.

"No, let him rest in peace," Itsuki said defensively. He knelt down and picked Sensui's limp body from the ground. "His last words to me were that he didn't want to go to Spirit World. I won't let you take him to be judged by your laws. We've had enough of you for now. We'll spend the rest of our remaining time together in quiet."

And with that, a hole into black broke through the trees like a curtain again. Itsuki took Sensui and stepped into it before the curtain closed and the forest returned to normal.

"So. . . We're all going to just ignore that he stepped into another dimension with a dead body, probably to sit in the dark and coddle it until the rest of his life?" I asked.

"It's probably for the best," Kurama said.

I nodded in agreement as Yusuke let out a sigh.

"Damn. It feels like he ran away from our fight before it was over," Yusuke said.

"In a sense he did. He accomplished his goal," Kurama said.

"I guess so," I said.

"Uh, Urameshi, don't you care about what happened to your body?" Kuwabara asked.

"Not really. Only problem is that my head feels kind of heavy," Yusuke said putting his hand on his head. "HOLY SHIT! Where'd all this hair come from?! I must look like I stuck my finger in an electric socket!"

"That's exactly what I said!" Kuwabara said.

"Wow, this crazy. I must be a true blue demon now, huh?" Yusuke asked.

"Your ancestor must've been an S-class demon," Kurama said. "Well, actually, he's probably still living somewhere here in Demon World."

"Dammit. That asshole must've taken control of my brain during the fight," Yusuke said.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, after you took off to fight Sensui I started feeling all weird, and then I heard this voice in my head. They were really pissed that I was letting you fight and then everything went black. When I came too I was firing off that Spirit Gun," Yusuke said. "I knew that power stronger than anything I'd ever felt and I knew that it couldn't have come from me. It had to have been someone else."

"Wait a second! But when you got here, you were already as strong and Kairi and Sensui and you're saying there's someone out there that's like a million times stronger than all three of you?!" Kuwabara exclaimed.

"Keep in mind that class system was created by Spirit World and that those labels are probably quite insulting. S-class is used to classify anything that Spirit World can't handle. Here in Demon World it can cover underlings all the way up to some creatures that are godlike. But the amount space demons have to move around in is huge and you seldom see them," Kurama said.

"Yeah, and then you've got guys like my dad and Vegeta and Gohan who are already way stronger than me. My dad even attained a level of Super Saiyan that's way beyond the one the rest of can get to. I haven't even gotten to the second level yet," I said.

"You mean you can still get stronger?!" Kuwabara asked.

"Yeah, but Kais forbid we encounter something that strong. My dad only got to that third level when he was facing Majin Buu. Goten and Trunks can get to it too, but only when they're. . . "I stopped. Too much information.

"What?" Yusuke asked.

"You know. When they're fused together," I said.

"Fused?" Yusuke asked.

"It's nothing. They'll kick my ass if I say more," I said.

"Well, anyway, that settles it. I'm gonna find this guy and kick his ass myself," Yusuke said.

"We're done here. Case closed. Time to go home," Kuwabara said.

"No way. It doesn't count as a win if it wasn't my power that did him in," Yusuke said.

"Hello! Earth to Yusuke—but it wasn't even your fight. If anyone should be finding your ancestor and kicking his ancient butt, it should be me," I said. "But I think we have better shit to do right now."

"Yes, Yusuke. We're on borrowed time here. The SDF is working to close that tunnel right now and I'm sure they'll have it done in two days time," Koenma said. "You can either go home to the Living World or stay here in Demon World. I'm sure your battle s will continue no matter which path you decide to take. I'll give you 40 hours to think about it."

"Well if those are my only two options I don't even need to think about it," Yusuke said. He let out a sigh. "We'd better get back to the Living World."

"Good," I said. "I guess I'll forgive you for putting me through a mountain."

"I put you through a mountain?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes! Where did you think it went? It was there before you blacked out and gone when you came through. You punched me and boom! Right into a mountain and right out of Super Saiyan. Absolute bullshit. Pisses me off just thinking about it," I said.

"Well you did say the only way you weren't killing Sensui was if Yusuke came back to life and knocked you into a wall so he could kill him himself," Kuwabara said.

I paused. "I did say that."

"You said it like twice actually," Kuwabara said.

"Holy shit. I must be more psychic than I originally thought," I said. "And you know what, just before I got knocked through that mountain, I got that really bad feeling I always get. Then boom, gut punch."

"It's like you predicted the future without seeing anything," Kuwabara said.

"Holy shit you're right. I'm starting to weird myself out," I said.

". . . You two are both idiots," Kurama said.

Yusuke chuckled. "Let's go home you guys."


	27. All Good Things Must Come to an End

_[A/N: You'll be pleased to know that this story will be finished before the new year! Huzzah! I'll be posting two more chapters in the next few days and hopefully sometime within the first few days of the New Year the first chapter of the next series will be up, if I can get it named and work out a few kinks. Anyway, don't forget to review!]_

The sun was on its way up again as we reached the mouth of the cave. It was good to be topside again. I could see Goten, and my Dad, Vegeta and Trunks, Botan, Genkai, Yana and Kaito. Even Orihime had stayed. And much to my surprise, Keiko and Shizuru had arrived as well.

"You're back!" Botan cheered. "Hurray!"

"Whoa, Urameshi, that's quite the makeover you've got there," Goten said. "Thinking of joining an 80s hair band?"

"Maybe I will," Yusuke said. "I just gotta get a time machine first."

"So what happened in there?" Orihime asked.

"It's a very long story," I said with a sigh. A long story indeed. It was all starting to weigh on me exactly how much had happened down there with Sensui, and now that I was back here safe with my friends and family knowing the world wasn't in danger of being annihilated anymore thinking about it was starting to irritate me because I knew now the time had come for me to address everything.

I had a huge problem with Spirit World, and maybe I had a few issues I needed work out on my own as well, but me being slightly zany was no reason for Spirit World to go all ape shit on me.

"Detective Kairi."

I turned and looked back. The SDF was standing there.

"Hi," I said.

"We have orders from King Yemma," the Captain said.

"What? Orders to kill me?" I asked. The Captain pursed his lips at me. "Or are those orders void now that you haven't killed Yusuke?" I turned my back to him. "Tell King Yemma to take his orders and shove them."

"As the Spirit Detective it's your job to keep this planet and its inhabitants safe from any potential threats," he said. "Whomever or whatever they may be."

I paused as his words registered in my brain. I turned around to him. "Are you ordering me to do what I think you're ordering me to do?" I walked to the Captain and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Are you actually standing here in my face after I found out that the former Spirit Detective tried to wipe out humanity, after I found out that Yusuke was hired to replace me because you all thought I was getting dangerous and out of hand, after I found out that you put that Kekai barrier to keep the Demons in and to keep the Saiyans out, after threatening to me kill me—after all that standing here and telling me to my face and telling me that your new orders from King Yemma are for me to kill Yusuke because you assholes are too weak to do it yourselves? Is that what you're saying?"

"Kairi-." Koenma started.

"Go ahead and lie to me, Captain. I dare you," I said.

"It's your job, Detective," he said.

"It's the Spirit Detective's job isn't it? You're right," I said. "Then I guess there's only one thing I can do." I turned and looked back at Yusuke.

"Kairi," Yusuke started.

"I quit," I said tossing the Captain to the ground.

"What?" Yusuke almost shouted.

"You heard me," I said. I turned back to the Captain. "Go back to Spirit World, tell King Yemma at his mahogany desk that I quit. I'm not Spirit Detective anymore and he can find someone else to do his dirty work for him. And if I ever see you asshole around here even breathing the same air as Yusuke so help me, I will be on you like white on rice in a glass of milk on a paper plate in snowstorm, is that clear?"

The Captain frowned at me.

"Oh, and another thing, tell King Yemma he'd better not even think about hassling Koenma. He may not have made the best decisions, but he's the only one who tried to make things right. He did the right thing," I said. "Now beat it!"

The Captain got to his feet, rallied his troops and took off.

I let out a sigh. I felt a little bit better, but at the same time I felt like I'd just put another weight onto my shoulders. I wasn't the Spirit Detective anymore. I'd quit. My reign was over.

"You didn't have to do that," Yusuke said. "You love that job."

I turned back to him. I nodded. "Yeah, I did, Yusuke. You're my best friend, and if you killing you is the only way I could stay Spirit Detective then I don't want it. It's not worth it. Priorities and all that."

I stretched my arms up and then let them fall to my side.

"At least it's all over now," Kuwabara said.

"Yeah," I said. "Although I do still have one more question, Koenma. About the Kekai barrier."

He shook his head. "I couldn't say why you weren't able to get through it, though it inevitably has something to do with your arrival on Earth. Maybe there's something in Demon World he wants to keep you all away from."

"Like what?" Goten asked.

"Who knows? It's not like King Yemma's told us the truth any other time, I doubt he's going to start now," I said. "I don't care anymore and I can't care anymore. Right now, I just want to get some sleep."

888

I didn't expect to have company when I woke up in my bed later. The sun was still high in the sky, beaming in through my window. Kuwabara was stretched out on my floor, sleeping next to Kurama. My right elbow was bumping into someone and I looked over to see that Yusuke was sleeping next to me, and next to him, still sleeping otherwise we'd no doubt be hearing him bitch about this was Hiei. I sat up and stretched. My alarm clock read that it was five o'clock. We'd all been awake forever and a day and with all the energy we'd used on top of that it was no wonder we'd slept the day away.

I climbed off my bed and quietly made my way out of the room to the bathroom. When I returned. I saw that the others were now awake too.

"Geez, Hiei, it wasn't my idea to put here!" Yusuke complained as Hiei whacked him repeatedly.

"Glad to see things are back to normal," I said as I walked over to my desk.

"I'd hardly call this normal," Hiei said.

"Be quiet, Hiei. Keiko never complains when I sleep next to her," Yusuke chuckled.

"You'd probably be more pleasant to be next to if you weren't covered in hair," I said picking up my phone.

"Oh, yeah," Yusuke said checking out his locks.

"I can cut it all off for you," Kurama volunteered.

"Thanks. I think this would probably freak my mom out," Yusuke said.

"Well you all have fun with that," I said sitting my phone down and going over to my dresser and pulling out a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. "I'll be back."

"And where are you off to?" Kurama asked.

"Nowhere important," I said. "I'll be gone thirty minutes, tops."

"Oh, I bet she's going to see Trunks," Yusuke said.

"I just want to make sure he doesn't hate me," I said.

"Well from what happened in that cave last night I'd say he does," Yusuke said. "And if he doesn't, he at least hates Hiei."

"Why would he hate you? Why would he hate Hiei?" Kuwabara asked.

"You should stick around more, Kuwabara. You missed Kairi being an asshole to Trunks and getting dumped, and then Trunks and Hiei almost had a fist fight in the cave when we were coming to get you," Yusuke said.

"We did not," Hiei said.

"You did," Kurama said. "It's a good thing Kairi stepped in or I'd have had to. One of you was definitely going to hit the other."

"Well anyway, I'll be right back, so you guys don't go anywhere," I said.

"We'll be here," Yusuke said.

888

I knocked on the front door as I had many times before and it was opened by Bulma who was holding Bulla on her hip.

"Kairi. I see you're alive and well after the ordeal you went through," she said.

"All alive. Mostly well," I said.

"What brings you?" she asked.

"I came to see your son actually," I said stepping inside.

"Oh," she said quietly.

"I'm guessing he told you what happened," I said.

"He was very upset when he got home that night and he told us you were a 'non-issue' now to be brief about it," Bulma said.

"You're not allowed to hate me, Bulma. I know Trunks is your son and you love him and all that, and I was completely awful to him, but you're like a second mom to me," I said.

"I can't hate you, Kairi, but I can greatly disapprove of your actions and hope that you never, ever date my son again," Bulma said.

"Completely fair," I said. "Now I just want to talk to him to prevent him from hating me forever which is kind of  
where I feel like this is going."

"Well, he's upstairs if he wants to talk to you," Bulma said. "Keep the door open."

I rolled my eyes as I made my way past her, upstairs and down the hall to Trunks' room. I tapped on the door.

"Come in," he said.

I opened the door and found him sitting at his desk on the computer. He looked over at me and stared blankly for a moment.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," I replied.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"Just to talk," I said.

"About?" he asked.

"Us," I said. "I don't. . . I don't like how we left things. How I left them I guess."

Trunks closed his laptop and then spun around to me.

"Sit down," he said.

I pulled the door closed even though Bulma had told me not to. I walked over and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"You were right. I am a bitch," I said. "I completely deserved that."

"Well, I'm not going to disagree with you," he said.

"Good. I just want to apologize for acting like I did. Basically I'm sorry for never ever being honest with you," I said. "I think things would be different if I had."

"Maybe not," he said.

"No, they definitely would be," I said. "If I had just owned up to the fact that I liked you from the very beginning it would have been really different. Or if I had just told you during the tournament that you weren't the only one anymore instead of dragging you along for almost two months. If I had been honest with myself and just accepted that I liked him from the get go. . . It's not like any of this matters now anyway."

"You're just saying what we both already know," he said.

"I'm sorry I didn't treat you better. And I know that the last six weeks were great with us and it could've been like that a long time ago if it weren't for me, and I know that no matter how much I denied it and said that I didn't want it, I know that I was your girlfriend because otherwise you wouldn't have called me before you went to bed every night and sent me cheesy 'good morning' texts and we wouldn't have had to swear up and down that nothing ever happened when we were in here with the door closed even though we know that's a lie," I said. "I'm sorry ruined all that."

"You're right, Kairi. You could be a pretty excellent girlfriend when you wanted to be. And I'm sorry things didn't work out too," he said.

"So. . . All is forgiven?" I asked.

"Only if you can answer this one question. It's been bugging me for a while and I always told myself that you're better than that, but I never really felt quite right about it so feel like I've still gotta know for," Trunks said. I nodded. "Did you ever cheat on me?"

I let out a sigh. "Yes, but-."

"At the time I wasn't _really_ your boyfriend so it didn't count," Trunks said. "I already know how you're going to justify that."

"I'm not trying to justify it and I wouldn't try to because I know you don't care," I said.

"I just don't understand, you've barely seen Hiei since we got back from the tournament. When did you even have time to further make me look like an idiot?" he asked.

"Trunks-."

"No, really, tell me," he said.

". . . Once on that day when you guys kidnapped Yusuke, after he got those idiots to leave me alone," I said.

"You've been with him more than once since we got together?" he asked.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"You answer my question. I deserve that at least don't I?" he asked.

"The only other time was at the tournament, just before Kuwabara's fight with Toguro," I said.

"Oh. . . So you barely gave it two hours before you just decided to blow me off," he said.

"It wasn't like that. I didn't intend for it to happen and neither did he," I said.

"But it did," Trunks said. "And I know Hiei doesn't give two shits about what happens to me, but you do. You care about me, so you should've known better. And now, to answer your question, I'm saying all of this so you'll know exactly how I feel. Think of it as solidarity."

". . . When I came here to apologize, I didn't expect you to just throw all of it back in my face," I said.

"When I told you I liked you I didn't expect you to throw it back in my face either, but here we are," Trunks said. "I'm sorry you've had a bad week, and me saying all of this too you probably doesn't make you feel any better. . . But I'm finding more and more difficult to be sympathetic where you're concerned."

I stood from his bed, having been emotionally punched in the face enough times for today.

"I really did like you, Trunks," I said. "Please don't think I didn't."

"I know you did. And I really liked you too," he said. "Doesn't change how things turned out though."

I let out once last sigh. "Bye, Trunks."

"Bye, Kairi."

888

I walked back into Kurama's house and headed straight to the kitchen where Kurama was finishing up cutting off Yusuke's hair.

"Hey, they filled me in on what went down. How did it go?" Kuwabara asked.

"Basically he told me to go fuck myself, but he was more polite about it," I said taking a stool at the island. "I don't want to talk about it.

"Well, I told you. Nothing good could come from you being an emotional terrorist," Kurama said. "You should've ended things as soon as you realized you liked Hiei."

"I was in denial—and can we please not talk about this while Hiei's sitting in the room. It's making me uncomfortable," I said.

"Oh, please. He likes you too," Yusuke said dismissively.

"I do not," Hiei said.

"Yeah you do," Yusuke said as I rolled my eyes. "I was there when you accidentally admitted it and didn't mean to."

"What's that? Where was I for this?" Kurama asked.

"It was after we got chased by Sniper and he gave me a kick in the ass and then those demons showed up and we totally slammed them," Yusuke began, "but then Kairi and Hiei got into this argument and Hiei hit Kairi on the head which just made her madder-."

"Quiet Detective," Hiei warned.

"No, you be quiet, Hiei. I want to hear," Kurama said. "Go on, Yusuke."

"So after Hiei hits her, and she tells Hiei that he's mean, he then has the audacity to also tell her that she's annoying," Yusuke said as I laid my head down on the island. "But you know Kairi. She's all 'I'm only annoying because I care' and what does Hiei say to this you might ask?"

"I hope you die painfully," Hiei said.

"No, that's not what you said," Yusuke said. "What he said was 'maybe I'm only mean because I care.'"

"Awww," Kurama and Kuwabara teased in unison.

"Well, Hiei, I'm just going to tell you like I told Kairi—nothing good can come from being an emotional terrorist," Kurama said.

"It's not just that I'm an emotional terrorist," I said sitting up, hoping to pull the conversation in a different direction. "I was really awful to Trunks, even before Hiei was around."

"True," Kuwabara said.

"Like. . . Am I a bad person?" I asked.

"No, of course not," Kuwabara said.

"Everyone thought Sensui was a good guy before he went insane," I said. "I'm not too far off."

"Come on. I mean, I see the similarities a bit, but he saw something really bad and he got all messed up," Yusuke said.

"But that's just it, so did I. That's why they were going to replace me. Because I was on a mission and I totally lost my shit," I said.

"The bathhouse thing he was talking about?" Kurama asked.

I nodded. "It was bad. It might not have been as bad as what Sensui saw but still. It just remember it made me so angry I couldn't see straight. I barely remember most it. And I had Botan with me when it happened. She was with me every day for a week afterward, kind of just hugging me and being encouraging, but she never talked about what happened. I thought about quitting then. Only time before today that I ever did. It was my last case before they hired you. It was two weeks before you got hit by that car."

"Really?" Yusuke asked.

I nodded. "It was a strange mission from the get go. I mean, I've dealt with demons taking humans and all that, but there was such a large number of girls going missing and it didn't seem right immediately, so I went in and it was worse than I ever thought it was going be. Human sex trafficking wasn't really even something I'd been exposed to in the Human World so it was tough when I got there to see it with my own two eyes in that bathhouse. It was run by an apparition called Yubaba. She had this whole room to herself and it was filled with her favorite girls, all human. When I walked in her 12 girls left the room. I wanted to do it the easy because it's easy. And Yubaba started asking me all these questions as villains love to do and amid her questioning I start hearing these screams echoing through the whole bathhouse. . . And then silence. And then the other girls came back. . . Apparently, Yubaba had known Spirit World was on to her and wanted to ensure that if I showed up none of her property was. . . appropriated was the world she used. So rather than let them go freely, she had them killed. Only the human workers while the apparitions she was holding all got away. There had to be at least 50 girls dead. And that was horrible and I couldn't deal with that, and I got so mad. And I couldn't understand why these other human girls had helped her. . . I just couldn't. And they all just laughed. Just laughed because I'd failed and even if Yubaba got taken in, all the girls who were being held against their will would never get to go home. . . And I just saw red looking at them all laughing at me. . . And when I finally snapped out of it I just remembering seeing my hands and. . . They were red. And I saw Botan looking so terrified and. . . We were the only two people in the room still alive. And the only thing I know is that I used my bare hands to murder 12 people when I had never ever dreamed of killing a human before. After Sensui it makes sense that they'd want to fire me."

". . . I'll be real with you Kairi, that's pretty fucked up," Yusuke said.

"Thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.

"No, but, you're not a bad person. You did something pretty bad and I guess it makes sense that you're scared you'll turn into Sensui, but you won't. I'd bet my life on it," Yusuke said.

"I agree," Kurama said.

"And me too," Kuwabara said.

"Yeah," Hiei said with sigh.

"Because you've got us. I mean, me getting hit by that car is the best thing to ever happen to you," Yusuke said.

"Yusuke that was horrible," I said.

"If I hadn't died, I couldn't have gotten revived as Spirit Detective, Kurama would be dead because he would have used the Forlorn hope to save his mom. You would've killed Hiei after he kidnapped Keiko. Things would be completely different now. But you got me and I kept you grounded, and then Kuwabara did, and Hiei and Kurama. Whenever you were getting bat shit crazy we were always there to tell you that you were being a crazy bitch," Yusuke said. "And whenever you got upset we were always there to give you a hug or and encouraging word and make sure you kept perspective—even though people sucked, you kept going for the people who don't."

"And most people don't," Kurama said.

"And it's like Koenma said—you see gray. You know people are shitty. You know some demons are good," Yusuke said.

"You've just had the unfortunate luck meeting the worst of both," Hiei said.

I nodded. "Well, what do I do now? What do we all do now? Spirit World is gonna be watching all of us."

"We keep quiet for now," Kurama said. "And we keep making sure you don't go crazy."

"Cause that's what friends do," Kuwabara said tossing an arm around me and pulling me into a hug.

I chuckled. "Thanks, all of you. . . Now who wants to make me a sandwich?"

Yusuke scoffed. "Your legs aren't broken. Make your own damn sandwich."


	28. The Obvious Question

_[A/N: Argh, ahead there be some light smut. Readers ye be warned. But really though, any advice on improvement would be greatly appreciated.]_

I did make myself, rather, Kuwabara did because he's a gentleman that way, a sandwich and afterward abandoned my friends in the kitchen to take a shower. There was just something about a shower that made me feel ten times better.

I stepped out of the bathroom with my towel wrapped around me and walked the few steps down the hall to my bedroom. I pushed my door open and was startled to see someone on my bed.

"William H. Macy, Hiei!" I exclaimed.

"Did startle you?" he asked, flatly.

"No, I just shouted and clutched my hand over my heart like this for no reason," I said. I cleared my throat. "Why are you in my room, if I may ask?"

"I was told not to leave," he said with a frown. "The two idiots went home and your cousin was called away to have dinner with his mother and future family."

"For you all to say that I'm not insane you all sure were quick to leave me with a babysitter," I said going to my dresser and pulling out some clothes.

"Can never be too careful," he said.

"Now, I have to put on some clothes so if you wouldn't mind averting your eyes or leaving the room," I said.

Hiei let out a sigh and turned to face my window.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," he said as I pulled my underwear under my towel.

"Fine, Hiei," I started dropping my towel to the ground to put on my bra, "if you're so desperate to see my naked body, then by all means turn around." Just as I finished hooking my bra on, Hiei very nonchalantly glanced over his shoulder. I flipped him off and he chuckled as he turned back around. "I hate you."

"No you don't," he said. "You know, I once recall you complaining that I didn't care when I saw you naked and now you don't want me to see you. I just think you don't know what you want."

"I want you to stop being a jackass," I said pulling on my shorts.

"So does everyone else," he said.

I pulled on my shirt and picked my towel up from the floor. Hiei turned back around, as if sensing that I was fully clothed now.

"What are you wearing?" he asked.

I looked down at my t-shirt. "Oh, this is Trunks' old Megallica t-shirt. I need to do laundry."

"Why do you have his shirt?" Hiei asked.

"I probably stole it at some point, or he left it here," I said shuffling around on my dresser for a pony tail holder.

"Why would he have left it here?" Hiei asked.

I stopped searching for a moment and turned around to him.

"What are you implying?" I asked. Hiei cocked an eyebrow at me. "I didn't sleep with him if that's what you're thinking." Hiei shrugged and then apparently found something more interesting to look at out the window. I gasped. "That is what you were thinking! Hiei, you don't really think I'm that kind of girl do you?"

"I didn't until you nonchalantly explained the origin of that hideous shirt," he said.

"There are plenty of other reason he could've had his shirt off in here," I said.

"There are, but now I'm doubting that any of those reasons are innocent," Hiei said. I went to protest but faltered. Hiei shook his. "It's not my business what you do with your body—or anyone else's for that matter."

"Thanks," I said sitting down at my desk. "As a change of subject, I just remembered I have something for you."

"What?" he asked. I opened my desk drawer and pulled out the Chapter Black tape.

"I believe we were having a conversation about this particular piece of contraband weren't we?" I asked. I tossed it to him. "Just promise you'll still like me after you watch it."

A second later, Hiei took the tape and tossed it up then quickly pulled out his sword and sliced it into pieces.

"My hand slipped," he said, sheathing his sword.

"Can you be a little more careful with your sword? I don't want you to break anything," I said.

"When have I ever done that unintentionally?" he asked, sitting his sword to rest against the footboard of my bed.

"Just now apparently," I said. I picked the tape and tossed it into the garbage. "It's been such a long day, Hiei."

"I recall," he said.

"I know that Sensui and the tunnel and quitting my job should be the most awful thing that happened today, but fuck. I should never have gone to apologize to Trunks. He hates me. I should've let it go," I said.

"What happened?" Hiei asked.

"I told him I was sorry I was such a shitty girlfriend and that I should've owned up to being his girlfriend or admitted I liked you sooner," I said. "And then he asked me if I cheated on him."

". . .And?" Hiei asked.

"Well, you should know, you were there both times weren't you?" I asked.

"I counted three," Hiei said.

"That time you saved me from Sniper doesn't count because we were already broken up by then," I said. "So only twice."

Hiei nodded. "And I care about this because why?"

"I'm sure you 'don't care', but you're here so I'm venting to you," I said. "Besides, I wouldn't even be having this problem if you hadn't just shown up in my life and complicated things."

"So you're blaming me?" he asked.

"I've blamed myself enough for today. So it's your fault now. If you hadn't shown up with your sword and your three eyes and your stupid attack that's impossible to master that you mastered in a week and a half, none of this would have happened," I said.

"I'm sorry you can't handle how attractive I am," Hiei said.

"Stop making fun of me," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Don't blame me for your problems," he said.

"But you are part of the problem, Hiei," I said. "I don't actually blame you for how I handled breaking up with Trunks. I don't even blame you for the fact that I like you. But you keep sending all of these mixed signals which makes it difficult for me to proceed properly. Why would I waste my time on someone who won't even admit that he likes me when there's already this other really great guy who's never given me trouble about it before?"

"That's a good question," Hiei said.

"That you didn't answer," I said.

"You actually expected me to?" he asked.

"No. I guess that was the whole point of the question wasn't it," I said with a sigh. "Trunks was right. I screwed everything between us up over you, and you aren't even worth it."

"Not worth it?" Hiei asked.

"No. You're not. You, like me, are an emotional terrorist," I said. "I wasn't worth it either. That's why I'm not with Trunks now."

"Or maybe it's because you don't want to be," Hiei said.

I paused and then nodded. "You are absolutely right. I don't want to be with Trunks. I just feel bad for being a dick. You shouldn't be a dick to people. Especially your friends. Even still, break ups suck."

"You seem to be taking it fine now," he said.

"That's probably got something to do with the fact that I'm enamored with this asshole I know named Hiei and he makes it difficult to focus on the fact that I should probably be heartbroken right now," I said.

"Sorry about your luck," Hiei said dismissively.

"I hate you," I said.

"No you don't," he replied.

"Well I wish I did," I said sitting down next to him on my bed. I let out a sigh. "This blows. I haven't even been not Spirit Detective for 24-hours and I already feel myself turning into another useless, run-of-the-mill teenage girl. I can already feel my life becoming unfulfilling as each second passes."

"It's better than continuing to let yourself be used by them," he said.

"You're right," I said. "You've always been right about that."

About what?" he asked.

"Do you remember what you called me the first time I met you in person? A flunky. And I was so pissed that you called me a flunky but you were right. I was just a flunky," I said. "I know I always talk about my Saiyan pride, but I don't feel proud of much of anything right now."

"Be proud that you're not Sensui and that you left on your own terms," Hiei said. "And that if you weren't a Saiyan you probably wouldn't be sitting here alive."

I nodded. "You're right again. You're always right. Thanks for always being right. . . Even though it kind of makes you an asshole."

"My pleasure," he said.

I leaned over and rested my head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Invading your personal space because it comforts me," I said.

"I'm not your pillow," he said.

"My head says differently," I said. I looked up at him and he was glaring down at me. "Don't look at me like that."

"Don't lean on me," he said.

"I'm sorry. I can't do that," I said. "You see, there's this magnet in my head and evidently there's one in your shoulder too." I sat my head up for a moment and then plopped it back down on his shoulder. "See. Impossible."

"I hate you," he said.

"No you don't," I said. Then I let out a sigh. "I'm pathetic aren't I?"

"Yes," he said.

"You're not supposed to agree," I said lifting my head from his shoulder. "You're supposed to lie in order to comfort me."

"No," he said.

I hit him on the arm. "Rude."

"What's rude is that you keep hitting me," he said.

"It's not my fault you can't dodge," I said. I went in to hit him again but he grabbed my arm and stopped me this time. I went in to get him with my other hand and he grabbed me again.

"Stop," he said.

"Well, I don't really have a choice anymore. You're kind of holding me hostage," I said matter-of-factly.

"If I let you go are you going to hit me again?" he asked.

"Probably, but only because your question has prompted me to do so and I enjoy bothering you," I said. I went to move away but Hiei held his grasp on me. "I was joking. Let me go, please."

I tried to move away but he just pulled me closer. "Why should I let you go?"

"Because, you don't know what I'll do if I'm standing this close to you," I said.

"Maybe I want to find out," he said with a smirk, pulling me closer. Our faces were inches away from each other. "Detective?"

"Don't tempt me," I said letting out a deep breath. My stomach was filled with knots and I could feel my breathing becoming slightly unsettled. Hiei let go of my left arm and took his right hand and ran his fingers through my hair, before bringing his hand to rest on the back of my neck. "You're intentionally doing this torture me aren't you?"

"Possibly," he said.

"That's really. . . Really. . ." I cleared my throat.

"What?" Hiei asked.

"I'm sorry. I lost my train of thought. I can't. . . focus with you. . .with you this close. . ." I said. "Because now I don't know what you're going to do. Your intentions are very unclear, as usual."

"I guess I'll just clear that up for you," he said.

Just when I thought I was going to implode from anxiety and anticipation he kissed me and I felt myself finally relax. This was different than when I'd kissed him before. It wasn't impulsive or in the heat of the moment. It was more like something that had been slowly building up over time and it needed to be done.

As he pushed me back against the bed, there was a sensation growing in the pit of my stomach, driving me crazy. I couldn't pull him close enough. I couldn't kiss him deeply enough. Hiei tangled one of his hands in my hair and took a fistful of it. Then gently, but firmly, he pulled my hair, causing us to part. Thankfully, the separation was short lived. An involuntary groan passed through my lips as he brought his lips to the sensitive spot just below my ear and trailed kisses down my neck to my collarbone.

Meanwhile, he was keeping his hands busy as well. One of them was still knotted in my hair which he would tug every now and again, sending a shiver down my spine. The other had managed to snake its way under my shirt. The warmth of his skin against mine was maddening, even more so as he reached my bra. His fingers teased me, tracing the spot on my skin where the underwire of my bra blocked his entry. He very suddenly took a handful of my breasts and gently squeezed. It may have been through the fabric of my bra, but my whole body shuttered at his touch. A tingling sensation began to grow between my legs adding to my madness. I had to have more of him.

Hiei's hand snaked its way around to my back and in a single, fluid motion he undid the clasp of my bra, allowing him free access to the two mounds on my chest. He flicked his thumb over my erect nipple. A slight moan escaped my lips and I felt my back arch into him. He kneaded my breasts in his hand and returned his lips to mine. I could feel the dampness growing in my panties. I'd never felt such strong need, such desire before. It was all I could think about the more he touched me, the more he kissed me and pulled my hair.

His hands abandoned my breasts and slowly slid down over my stomach until he came to the waist band of my shorts. He grabbed hold of them and tugged at them slightly, as if to ask for permission. I was hesitant, but only for a moment. He pulled them down my legs, tossed them away, and quickly returned to let his fingers dance at the elastic of my damp panties.

But then he moved his hands away, much to my dismay. He ran his hand down my thigh halfway to my knee, and then moved up my inner thigh. I felt my fingers dig into his side as if it would help quell the storm of hormones running rampant through my system. I was a slave to Hiei's touch and could do little more than lie there with my eyes closed trying not to lose complete control.

"Tell me what you want, Detective," Hiei whispered to me as he kissed at my neck. I went to speak, but he stopped me by gently grazing his teeth across my neck. The new sensation flooded me and an audible gasp came from my mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that." Now he was firmly squeezing my inner thigh. I was overwhelmed. I had to have him now.

"Touch me," I managed out.

Hiei came back to my waistband filling with a sense of relief and yet more desire. He slid one finger down between my wet lips and immediately found that precious little ball of nerves. He barely touched it and wave of electricity swept over my body.

"Touch you here?" he asked, making tiny circles over my clit with his finger. I squeezed him tighter as his name passed breathlessly through my lips. He then took finger and slid it down further, stopping right at my entrance. "Or what about here?"

"Hiei, please," I begged as he teased my entrance with his finger.

Hiei said not another word, but gave into my request and slid one finger into me. I didn't try to control the moan that came out of my mouth. I was all but lost as he slid it in and out over and over again.

And then he slid a second finger into me and I was truly lost, teetering on what I was sure was the edge of my sanity. He rocked his fingers in and out of me, his thumb remaining on my clit the whole time. I could hardly breathe. I could barely think. The only thing I could do was repeatedly bite down on my lip to keep from screaming.

I could feel pressure building more and more rapidly as he went on and I knew that the dam was going to burst soon. It became almost overwhelming and I buried my face in his shoulder, clinging to him tightly.

I took his shirt between my teeth, and my breathing became more and more labored. I was almost there, and completely lost to the overwhelming sense of pleasure I felt.

And then it happened. I felt a huge release of pressure and warmth spread throughout my body. I practically screamed out Hiei's name into his shoulder and clung to him so tightly that if he were just some simple human boy I might've broken him.

When I finally started coming down, I laid my head back on my pillow. My head was all fuzzy, as if I was drunk on the pleasure I'd just received. I pulled Hiei down to my lips and continued to kiss him passionately.

I slid my hand down from his neck down over his abs to the buckle of his pants. I didn't immediately undo them and instead my hands ventured lower to run over his hardness through his pants. A low groan rumbled in his throat. Just the sound was enough to stir up the heat within me again.

I pushed him over onto his back and climbed atop him.

"You are very good with your hands," I whispered to him.

"I could do it again if you'd like," he said, sliding his hand down into my panties and immediately flicking his finger over my clit.

My head flopped down into my pillow beside his head. "Hiei," I started to protest, but he slid a finger into me. I moaned loudly into the pillow. I'd had enough of this one sided torture.

I took my hand and slowly slid it down his abdomen to his pants. To my relief (and agitation), his movements slowed. I started to slowly push his pants away until I felt his cock slide free. I couldn't see with my face buried in the pillow next to his head, but could I could feel him underneath my fingers as I ran my hand down the length of his shaft. I felt his body shudder. My anxiety ebbed a bit and I started feel brave. His response to my touch had obviously been as involuntary as the sighs and moans he'd earned from me this evening and I wanted more from him.

I grabbed hold of his manhood and slowly started to work it from top to bottom. This time, his response was to roll me from atop him onto my side so that we were now facing each other. Then as I started to stroke him faster, he pushed a second finger into me.

An unrestrained moan flew out of my mouth again. I brought my lips to his again, fighting to control myself as we inflicted this mutual torture upon each other.

I could feel myself getting closer and closer to my release, and somehow it only made me work Hiei faster. Wetness had dribbled down from the head of his cock, allowing me to stroke him at a much faster, smoother pace.

Hiei moved his lips away from mine and brought them down to my shoulder. His teeth grazed against my skin before he bit down. My back arched into him and a whimper fell from my lips. His hand on my waist squeezed tightly and a low groan rumbled in his throat and I knew he was close now as well.

I could feel myself shaking as my body reached its climax for the second time that evening. I gasped, trying to catch my breath, feeling my pussy clench around his fingers which he continued to pump in and out of me slowly before he stopped completely. His grip on my waist became much tighter and he bit down on my shoulder with much greater intensity. His whole body went rigid and an instant later, he relaxed with a groan. His cock shot off his load all over my shirt, and his shirt, being dripping down my hand.

Hiei released my waist and detached himself from my shoulder. I let go of him and laid my head to rest on his shoulder while my body finally relaxed.

It took a moment before I registered what a mess we both probably were. So much for that shower I'd taken.

I sat up and tossed my shirt to the floor and then fixed my bra so that I was wearing it properly. I went over to my dresser and pulled out a fresh pair of underwear. I put them on and grabbed a new t-shirt from my drawer, listening as Hiei discarded his shirt onto the floor. I sat down on my bed as I unfolded the shirt and prepared to put it on.

Suddenly, I was feeling exhausted and embarrassed and a thousand thoughts were whipping their way through my brain at once.

"You okay?" he asked me suddenly.

"Oh, I'm fine," I said letting out a deep breath. "I was just expecting my evening to a tad more uneventful considering how the rest of my week has been."

"Sorry if I ruined your plans," he said as I pulled my shirt on.

"No apology necessary," I said. I looked back and gave him a wink. I then moved and laid down on my bed next to where he sat. My pillow was wet, from my hair still being wet post shower. My pillow was probably going to smell by the morning. I didn't plan on getting up. Suddenly I was exhausted.

"What'll you do now?" I asked.

"Hmm?"

"Now that you can't leave? I got Koenma to cut you loose and now you have to stay again," I said.

"Same thing I was doing before, except with the expectation that you and your partner won't come calling on me for shenanigans," he said.

"Yusuke won't, but I'll probably still be looking to get into shenanigans with you," I said. He looked back at me and I winked at him again.

"Hn, maybe," he said.

I chuckled. "I'm sorry, by the way."

"For what?" he asked.

"That Yusuke told everyone what you said to me. I know you didn't mean it—or mean to say it out loud anyway," I said.

"Are you trying to get at something, Detective?" he asked.

"You already know what I'm trying to ask you, but you're not going to say so I'm going to let it go. You deal with things at your own pace, but you should know something," I said.

"What would that be?" he asked.

"I know I have been a pretty shitty person recently and I've seen what that does to people when you're shitty to them. And I don't want to end up like Trunks," I said. "So I just want you to know, right now, that you can take as much time as you need but. . . I'm not going to wait around for you to give me an answer forever."

Hiei looked down at me for a moment, and then he leaned down and kissed me.

"Go to sleep, Detective," he said. "You're tired."

"If you insist," I said closing my eyes. I felt Hiei rise from my bed and listened as he clicked off my bedroom light. I waited to hear him open my door and leave, but instead I felt my bed sink down again as he laid down beside me.

I wanted to comment, but I decided that for tonight I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. I curled up next to him, resting my head on his chest. I was pleased when he didn't protest. The only sound I could hear now was his breathing. It was strange not hearing a heartbeat, but also peaceful and quiet. It made me aware of how tired I was again.

Hiei draped an arm over me, holding me closer to him and it was like I'd been enveloped in a blanket of safety and warmth. It was almost perfect. And in my almost perfect situation, I was able to fall asleep again.


	29. Time to Move On

_[A/N: Happy New Year! This is the last chapter! Enjoy!]_

The last week had been the most exhausting of my life. Last Monday began with my best friend getting kidnapped and discovering that a psychopath was opening a tunnel between the human world and the Demon World and it would be open in three weeks.

Tuesday, we discovered a band on insane humans was behind the tunnel.

Wednesday I endured the worst break up of my life after discovering that the tunnel which was supposed to open in three weeks was now going to be opened in a week.

Thursday we discovered that the master mind behind the tunnel was the Spirit Detective who I had replaced who then proceeded kidnap another of my best friends to use him as a tool to help insight Armageddon, I was chased through the forest and nearly killed by and oil tanker, and I went underground and watched my cousin have the magnificent of mental breakdowns after killing a human child.

Friday morning was the worst of it. It began with watching my partner, best friend, fight to save humanity and his own life—and then fail. I then had listen as my insane predecessor explain to me why Yusuke had been hired in the first place, and then chase him through tunnel to Demon World, nearly defeat him before my partner returned from the dead (for a second time) and punch me into the ground and defeat our predecessor himself. Following our return to the Human World and discovering that Sensui had been right about why Yusuke was hired and that these same assholes were now ordering me to kill him because he was "dangerous," I'd had enough of Spirit World bullshit and quit my job as Spirit Detective.

Friday I spent with my team determining what was next. All we knew for now was that we all needed to stay close, and stay under the radar. Koenma had gone AWOL from Spirit World after disobeying his father and not allowing Yusuke to be killed so we had no one in Spirit World on our side at the moment, save for Botan who we loved to dearly to send on the run.

Friday night I spent apologizing to Trunks who told me to "fuck off" but in more words. And then there was Hiei who helped me to further my display of hormone driven, bad decision making skills.

I hadn't actually labeled that incident as a bad decision until I woke up Saturday morning and he was gone. I hadn't seen him since. It was my own fault for getting mixed up with an emotional terrorist who didn't like feeling things.

So here I was in a new week, Monday. "Dumped" again, with what I thought was my true calling behind me in the past, much of it having been a lie, and now I was at school in the city where it had all happened. The sky was still thick with Demon energy, bugs still swarmed, but every second I stayed there I could feel the tunnel slowly shrinking away as the SDF closed it.

And now it was lunch time and I was explaining to my new found supernaturally gifted schoolmates, one of whom had been right beside me assisting with the incident for a time, what happened when we went underground and faced Sensui and what had occurred topside in the early hours of Friday morning.

"I think you did the right thing," Ichigo said, in reference to me quitting. "Took guts."

"I think it took part of my soul actually," I said. "That's seven years of my life just. . . gone. Like it was nothing and I'm getting treated like the bad guy for doing what is clearly the right thing."

"We've been there," Orihime said.

"Yeah, the Soul Society's not all it's cracked up to be," Ichigo said.

"The Soul Society's go to method of handling their problems is usually genocide," Uryu said.

"The difference is that if we stopped helping them, they'd definitely just get worse, but Spirit World was using you to make things worse and without you they're going to just be sitting there doing nothing, and when they need you what will they do?" Ichigo asked.

"Probably find someone else to take advantage of," I said.

"But they won't, because they've already made that mistake three times before and look where it's gotten them—recovering from the brink of Armageddon and having their strongest allies turn on them," Ichigo said.

"And no one is going to come after you and Yusuke and the rest of your friends because the one person they don't want to upset is your dad which they've already done by threatening you," Orihime said. "And your dad seems like such a sweet guy that if Spirit World even tried to pull another human into the trap of becoming Spirit Detective then he'd have something to say about it."

"And so would you," Chad said.

I sighed. "You're all absolutely right. I think I just need. . . I need time to adjust. It's been a very long week. New school, new dimension for dead people to exist in, Quincies and Soul Reapers. . . And then doomsday."

"I think you might just need a hug," Orihime said wrapping her arms around me. I smiled.

"Thanks. I've been needing a lot of hugs recently. I doubt this will be the last time," I said.

"Well, I'm a hugging machine!" Orihime declared. "And so is Chizuru actually! She hugs me all the time!"

"Not for the same reasons," Uryu said.

"Chizuru is the red head with the pixie cut and glasses right?" I asked.

"Yeah. Just avoid doing anything that she can possibly view as cute around her," Chad said.

"She's aggressive," Ichigo said.

"Luckily we've got nothing to worry about," Uryu said.

I wasn't quite sure what the meaning behind all of their warnings were, but I took note of it anyway.

This was my third full day of school here in Karakura Town and even though everything else leading up to this day had been absolutely horrible, as I looked at my four new friends (or rather, three new friends, and Uryu who was now being forced to tolerate me) I started feel like trying to find a way to be normal when I was so definitely not normal didn't need to be my goal. Orihime had magical fighting fairies that she summoned forth from her hairpins, Chad's arm was apparently a force to be reckoned with under the right circumstances, Uryu was the last Quincy and could materialize a bow and arrow to destroy monsters at will, and Ichigo was a substitute soul reaper who protected humans, protected ghosts, and helped keep the world in balance.

And they were here every morning, bright and early pulling A's and B's in school and spending their free time just doing what they wanted.

I was Super Saiyan. I could use my energy to fly or shoot bullets and blast from my hands. I'd saved the world a couple of times. I was amazing.

And these guys were amazing and I'd still be amazing not being Spirit Detective and being here with them at school instead.

Hopefully, I'd be able to actually get used to it soon, before the emptiness I'd felt inside started to bring me down more.

888

With my powers back, Kurama was free to stay at school as long as he liked without having to walk me home, and I didn't have to wait for Trunks to come and pick me up (not that he was speaking to me anyway). So I was free to walk home without worrying about demons hunting me down or psychics trying to take over the world, or even a pack of teenage boys coming to ruin my life.

As I walked home, he popped into my head.

Hiei. He'd just popped back up and saved me from being savagely assaulted by a group of thugs and despite being bloodied and bruised and damp from the rain, he still thought "what the hell, I'll kiss her." And then he disappeared and made me angry and showed back up and saved me from being killed by a crazy teenage boy with a gun and an oil tanker and decided, once again, he decided that it was okay to kiss me. And then after I saved the world and quit my job and was told by my ex-boyfriend that I was a terrible person (and I kind of was), Hiei took it upon himself with no encouragement from me to, once again kiss me.

And then kiss me some more in my bed and run his hands over my bare skin. . .

And then he disappeared again and I hadn't seen him since. As I was walking home, my eyes glanced upwards to the roofs of building just to see if I might glance him keeping an eye on me, but I didn't need protecting anymore. And I was sure that our fleeting glances, and all of our conversations filled with subtext, and impromptu make-out sessions was more emotional involvement than he ever wanted to have with anyone, let alone a human girl, and that he was going to avoid me until he was over it, my feelings be damned.

Still, I kept looking until I felt something drop into my eye.

Water. It was starting to drizzle. It had been overcast all day, but the skies were turning much darker and I could head the subtle rumble of thunder in the distance.

The drizzle wasted no time getting heavier and I sped up my walk, debating on whether or not I should just chance it and fly back to my room at Kurama's house since I was, again, without a jacket or umbrella.

It had been raining on my walk on my first day of school here when everything suddenly went to shit. This rain was starting to feel like a bad omen.

And then it stopped.

It of course, kept raining, but it was no longer on me. I looked up and walking next to me holding a large, black umbrella over my head was Ichigo.

"You don't check the weather often do you?" he asked.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked.

"Well, you were pretty water logged that day you came to my house and you're well on your way there again," he said. "Hope you don't mind me sneaking up on you like this."

"I never mind tall people with umbrellas when it's raining, especially if they're sharing," I said. "Thanks."

"It's no problem," Ichigo said. "You kept looking up at the sky like you were waiting for it to happen."

I chuckled uncomfortably. "I wasn't looking at the sky. I was. . . looking for someone I guess. I was being stupid."

"Who were you looking for if you don't mind me asking?" Ichigo asked.

"Someone who isn't looking for me and I'll leave it at that," I said. "I think I of all people should know that wasting time on people who aren't going to respond is pointless."

". . . Is this about that same guy you said before and that everyone was calling you an emotional terrorist?" he asked.

"No. We 'broke up' for lack of a better word. He think I'm a heartless bitch now and I totally deserve that," I said.

"So you weren't an emotional terrorist because you don't like him, it was because you liked someone else?" he asked.

"Both, actually, and as it turns out, which I knew from the start, he's an emotional terrorist or maybe I'm just an idiot with bad taste," I said. "I haven't got a clue when it comes to relationships. I should just get started on being an old cat lady. No one is ever going to date me."

"Could you be a little more cynical?" Ichigo chuckled.

"Seriously. I've known Trunks forever, literally, which is the only reason he ever liked me. And he's super jealous and a larger nerd than I thought anyone ever capable of being and he's arrogant and spiteful and can be dick if he wants to. And Hiei does not comprehend complex emotions the way normal people do and so even if he was interested, and I know for a fact that he was, he thinks emotions are weak and I make him feel emotions, ergo it was never, ever going to happen," I said. I let out a deep breath. "I only attract emotionally unstable guys. . . And also street thugs, which isn't much better. So, I'd better just start collecting cats."

"Wow, you're really kind of sad," Ichigo said. "And I don't mean that you probably feel sad you're just. . ."

"Kind of really pathetic?" I asked.

"Yeah," Ichigo said.

"Way to kick a girl when she's down, Shinigami," I said.

"You've just gotta get over it. You probably won't be alone forever. The first two guys you went out with just aren't for you," Ichigo said. "Grow up and move on. Move on from them. Move on from being Spirit Detective. Just move on."

"Move onto what?" I asked.

Ichigo shrugged. "Figure it out. No one's gonna hold your hand and tell you what to do and complaining sure isn't going to help and coming down on yourself for not knowing what you want and making mistakes isn't going to either."

". . . You are blunt, my friend. Like. . . You're blunt like. . . Like something really blunt," I said. "That sentence kind of got away from me."

"Clearly," he said.

"But I guess I do need a kick in the ass," I said. "But where do I begin moving on? What does moving on entail?"

"Doing things with your life that don't involve the things you left behind," he said. "Don't look to the past. It distracts from the now."

Ichigo stopped walking and I looked back up at him. He was very tall, or at least taller than me. Most people in general made me feel short with the exception of Genkai and Hiei. He was definitely taller than all of my friends, and probably even taller than my dad.

"Why'd we stop walking?" I asked.

"This is my house," he said pointing.

I sighed. "Well, thanks for keeping me dry while it lasted."

"It's-."

"ICHIGO!"

Out of nowhere, a tall, brown haired man in a lab coat came flying at us preparing to drop kick Ichigo in the face. Ichigo quickly put the umbrella into my hands before ducking and punching the man square in the face and knocking him to the ground.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Ichigo scolded him.

The man jumped to his feet quickly and composed himself.

"I had to make sure you were on your guard, as usual and you did not disappoint," the man said. Ichigo was still fuming, but the man in the lab coat seemed to be somewhat amused by the situation. "You never know when some street thugs are going to pop up and try to harass this beautiful young lady you're talking to."

"The only creeps she has to be worried about around here are idiots like you!" Ichigo said, still irritated.

The man placed a thoughtful finger to his chin and seemed to quietly ponder for a moment.

"This is the second time I've seen this girl here," he said.

"So?" Ichigo asked.

"You never have any friends over," the man said.

"Is there a point to this?" Ichigo asked.

The man turned and stared at me for a moment. The he approached me and started to shake my hand excitedly.

"I always knew the day would come when Ichigo finally brought home a nice girl," the man.

I didn't know what was happening, but things had gone from weird to uncomfortable in an incredibly short amount of time. The man was still shaking my hand and was possibly crying and Ichigo was standing behind him shouting about how I was just a classmate and not his girlfriend.

I looked the man over and saw that in addition to his lab coat, he had a stethoscope around his neck, and as I examined his face I could tell that it definitely bore resemblance to Ichigo's.

"Oh! You must be Ichigo's dad," I realized.

"Yes, I am. But you can call me Isshin," he said.

"It's really lovely to meet you, but I'm not Ichigo's girlfriend," I said. "I'm just a classmate without a jacket he was sharing his umbrella with while he walked home, that's all. Really."

Isshin let go of my hand and then turned to attack his son once again. Just as before, Ichigo blocked and countered his father's assault and he landed on the ground.

"You were just going to let her walk all the way home by herself without an umbrella in the rain?! Now she'll never go out with you!" Isshin declared before attacking Ichigo again.

My family was actually starting to feel refreshingly normal compared to the display before me.

When the father and son were done dueling, Ichigo left his dad laid out on the sidewalk.

"You can come inside until it stops raining," Ichigo said.

"Umm. . . Thanks," I said looking back at his dad. "Um. . . Is he okay?"

"Yeah. He'll be back to being weird in a minute," Ichigo said. "This happens all the time. . . Sadly."

Ichigo walked me inside where his sisters were sitting and after a brief hello to them, we took off our shoes, he led me upstairs to his room. It was sparsely decorated. He had a guitar and a band poster here or there. His bed was made, his things were neat and orderly. It was the first time I'd been in any teenager's room where it looked like this (with the exception of Kurama who I decided didn't actually count).

"I don't think that I've ever been in a boy's room where there aren't any pictures of scantily clad women on the wall," I said.

"Are you disappointed?" Ichigo asked with a chuckle.

"No. But if you did have pictures of naked girls on your wall, I would instead be judging you based on their attractiveness," I said.

I turned away from him for a brief moment to examine his desk and he suddenly slammed something down onto his bed. I looked over at him and he was doing his best to be nonchalant, but was definitely trying with all his might to keep his book bag pinned to his bed.

". . . Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. Fine," he said. But his book bag was actually fidgeting and muffled sounds were coming from it.

"Your bag is, um, moving," I said. "Is it supposed to do that?"

"No. It's supposed to shut the hell up and be quiet," Ichigo said punching the bag.

Then the zipper unzipped and out popped a small, stuffed animal, a lion to be exact. It stood on Ichigo's bed and glared at him.

"What's the big idea hitting me like that?!" the toy shouted. "You could at least let me out of the bag!"

". . . It talks," I said.

The lion looked over to me. "Oh. . ."

"I've seen a lot of weird stuff in my day, but talking stuffed animals. . . Well, I guess that doesn't actually rank very high. All things considered I don't know why I'm even confused," I said. "But here we are. You have stuffed lion that talks and responds to being physically assaulted. Are they standard issue for all Soul Reapers or did you just get lucky?"

"She knows you're a Soul Reaper?" the stuffed toy asked.

"I'm Kairi Son. Former Spirit Detective," I said.

"Oh, I get it. You're the girl Rukia told us about," the toy said. "I'm Kon. I'm a mod soul."

"A mod soul?" I asked.

"When I become a Soul Reaper, I have to take my soul out of my body, so my body is just left to kind of lie around. Kon is a soul that goes inside of my body while I'm off dealing with hollows to make sure I don't get into any trouble," he said.

Ichigo picked Kon up from the bed and he immediately started fussing until Ichigo reached into his mouth and pulled out a small, green bead. Kon had stopped moving.

"Technically, this is Kon. He's an artificially created soul," Ichigo said. "Without this inside of the toy, it's just a regular stuffed animal. Also, he's less annoying."

I giggled as Ichigo returned Kon to normal. I picked him up from the bed.

"I think he's kind of cute, though, I've never really been much of a fan of stuffed animals," I said.

"Thanks, Sweetheart, you're not too bad yourself," Kon said.

Kon then leapt from my arms and onto my chest, and as he nuzzled his tiny, stuffed lion head between my boobs, I couldn't help but begin to realize why Ichigo might have been punching his book bag.

I ripped Kon from my chest and threw him clear across the room and against the wall.

"Are _all_ mod souls incredibly perverted?" I asked.

"Nope. Just Kon," Ichigo said. He picked Kon up from the floor and he tossed the complaining mod soul into his closet. "Sorry about him."

"It's all right. I can't help that I'm so damn attractive," I said, sitting down in his desk chair.

"Weird—not too long ago you were convinced that you were going to have a cat menagerie," Ichigo said.

"Oh, I probably still will. My looks don't really make up for my terrible personality," I said.

"I don't think you have a terrible personality," Ichigo said.

"You're also not dating me. If you were you would know," I said. "And then you would rue the day that you met me. And that's why I'm going to have a thousand cats."

"That's your prerogative," Ichigo said.

"It's not. I'm just accepting my fate," I said.

"I don't believe in fate," Ichigo said. "What happens to you happens because you let it happen."

"I'd really love to agree with you, but as someone who predicts the future accurately 100 percent of the time, you're going to have a hard time convincing me that most things in life aren't predetermined somehow," I said. "I have come to accept, however, that everything happens for a reason. The really big, really life changing things all happen for some important reason."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like on Friday when Yusuke died, that's horrible, but that's what pushed me to become a Super Saiyan and it's what made him discover his demon ancestry and it's how we stopped Sensui," I said. "I'm going to be emotionally scarred from the experience for many years to come, but it helped me. I bet there's even a reason why I ended up here in Karakura Town, going to school with a Soul Reaper and why I'm sitting in his room waiting for the rain to die down."

"What reason is that?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's to help me move on from the bad stuff that happened last week," I said. "Maybe, I came here to start over and maybe, Shinigami, you're supposed to help me."

"I guess we'll see," he said.

_[A/N: New Series will be up soon. Currently it's still unnamed, but keep an eye out. Happy New Year! See you in 2013! Don't forget to review!]_


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